Challenges Are Blessings In Disguise

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Growing up, none of us liked some kind of teachers in our schools, especially during the earlier parts of our lives. These are teachers who will give us the worst punishment when we go wrong, just to make sure we get it right, yet they were our least favourite.

As bad as we labelled them, looking back now, we can all be proud and say such individuals were some of the best things to ever happen to us. They taught us the hardest lessons, helped us get rid of bad habits, instilled discipline, good morals and character and good attitude in us.

In life, growth is painful and we learn more important lessons during hardship. It is the difficult exams that make us the best students. Everything is possible when we are crazy about life, that's how we make difficult situations easy. It however becomes impossible for us when we are lazy. That's how it becomes difficult.

We all have to pass through an examination to access the blessings we seek in life but the sad truth is, not many of us are able to pass through the test. There is this lazy part in us that always tells us "you can't". There is a coward in us that always tells us "it's impossible, so give up".

When we learn to kill the part of us that say's "you can't", that's how we arrive at our blessing. Facing challenges is how we grow. We don't grow when we give up or when things are easy.

Today, what are you thinking of giving up? Is it your career, your business, your spouse, your children? What is making you run away from the people you love? What is making you abandon your dream? Whatever it is, learn from it, go through it, but more importantly don't let these hard lessons harden your beautiful heart. Don't let these lessons cook your heart. Just as cooked eggs or hardened eggs can't give life, so a hardened heart can't give you the life you want.

There is no need hating people who did you wrong, they made you stronger, they made you a better person, they made you wiser. Be grateful to them. Their role in your lesson is necessary for your growth.

Little did the brothers of Joseph know that being wicked towards their brother and selling him would make him a ruler one day. They thought they were killing his dream but never knew they were helping him. As painful, cruel and difficult as this experience was for Joseph, that was how he grew to become a ruler.

Throughout this entire bitter journey, Joseph never allowed people's actions change him; these hard lessons never hardened his heart and because of that, God favoured him.

In conclusion "God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" - James 1:12 (NLT).