"Thanking God For The Tough Times"

February 15, 2023 | By Chuck

        I’m not sure I know anyone who enjoys and even looks forward to the tough times we go through in this life. Tough times discourage us, challenge our faith, and can even destroy our focus. But, tough times in this life are more than likely ahead for all of us, at least to some extent.  Jesus said that we would face “tribulation” in this world (John 16:33). The key is always how we respond and deal with life’s tough times. What’s your go-to plan when enduring tough times?

             My question is do you thank God for the tough times? That sounds odd, I know. But we thank God for all the good things in our life, shouldn’t we also thank Him for everything, the good and the tough times? Sometimes we are so caught up in surviving life’s difficult times that we fail to see the good that comes as a result. We learn and grow maybe more than ever during tough times. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:2-3). Thank God for the tough times because they teach us perseverance. Perseverance is a quality that every Christian must have to remain faithful to God. Thank God for the tough times because those times are a blessing to our spiritual progress, whether we see it or not.