I was listening to a podcast on parenting recently and the theme of the episode was that parents shouldn’t save their kids from every challenge or struggle in life. Turns out, jumping in to make everything better when your child faces an obstacle actually robs them of the chance to learn and grow. If we are continually fixing things for our kids, they don’t have the opportunity to develop their own capacity to problem solve, work hard, or simply strengthen their endurance through the trials of life. Makes sense, right? I think the same is true for our Heavenly Father.
If you read the gospels it’s easy to see that Jesus was constantly trying to teach His disciples how to think. And He often told parables in an effort to shift their mindset or get them thinking in a new way. In fact, Matthew 11:28 emphasizes his desire to teach us all:
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28
Like a good father, I’ve learned that Jesus won’t always swoop in immediately to solve all our problems or make everything better. If He did, how would we grow? Instead, Jesus is the perfect teacher. In His life, we see how God thinks and therefore how we should think. (Philippians 2:5)
I believe His desire is to transform us from the inside out by teaching us how to walk through those challenges like He would. And that’s the best lesson I’ve discovered this year: Jesus wants us to learn how to handle whatever the struggle is so that ultimately we become more capable of handling the next struggle and the one after that. His joy is seeing us learn and grow, maturing in our faith as we seek His wisdom in our battles.
So maybe the key to overcoming our struggle is to stop asking Jesus to simply take it away, but instead shifting our perspective and praying, “Jesus, what do you want me teach me in this situation? How would you want me to think? How would you handle this challenge?” And in that process, if we are obedient to His teaching, the transformation from the inside out starts to happen–that’s where we replace our perspective with His. That’s where we learn His ways instead of our own. That’s where the struggle begins to feel less daunting. And like a good Father, that’s where Jesus gives us the gift of realizing that we are strong with Him and we do in fact have the capacity to overcome.
Sarah, this is so true. Thank you for the sweet reminder. I truly hope you start up your podcast in the new year. God has great plans for you. Thank you for being an obedient vessel for the Lord to use. 🤍
Thank you for the encouragement Ericka, I’m really hoping I can make the podcast happen SOON!
Love this so much! Thank you. ❤️
thanks for reading Shela!
Best devotional! I totally agree, just as we are to guide our children through life’s challenges not save them from everything hard, God is there for us to lean upon in hard times and to be there in times we are rejoicing! Amen!
Amen to that Jeannie!
Thks for this reminder. It is so very true—our struggles and challenges teach us sooo very much esp how to wait and trust Him. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
yes amen to that! And without them we’d never grow or get more capable.
Love this perspective. Thank you for sharing, Happy Holidays to you and your family.
happy holidays to you too, Annette!
What devotion is this from?
I wrote it!
Thank you so much for this- It is exactly what I needed today. There have been so many things just in the last week. I feel like every single day something is happening or Satan is just attacking and I honestly have been so upset. I didn’t know how to pray, I didn’t know what to pray but reading this, like you said, was like a lightbulb. I’m just going to start praying, Lord, what do you want me to learn from this instead of worrying and being anxious. I know I need to trust him more and sometimes I just haven’t known what to say or how to pray about it so thank you. Thank you for this great reminder and just a new way to see things so that our trust does grow and our faith so that when the next obstacle comes, it might not seem so difficult.
thank you for sharing that Sarah, so grateful this could help! I think this perspective shift can change everything.
Oh Sarah! This is so very true. As badly as I wanted the Lord to take away Allie’s cancer, He had things to teach us…and those in our sphere of influence. He can see the whole picture at once and had a very specific plan, we were just willing participants. I HATE that we live in this fallen world where cancer exists, but I am so grateful that He uses our terrible, heartbreaking experiences for a purpose…and then He rewards us with Heaven, because He can! 💚
The Lord works in ways that we cannot imagine. I needed this devotional today
Thank you.
Thanks..I needed that forsure
Love this , we grow when we overcome struggles ❤️
Thank you for sharing. This spoke to my heart, and I appreciate your faithfulness!