What’s the Purpose of My Struggle?
By Rick Warren

“Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.” Proverbs 20:30 (GNT)

Think of the biggest conflict or problem you're facing right now.

Without even knowing what it is, you can boil that problem down to two basic issues. First, will you obey God and do the right thing in this situation? And, second, will you trust God to take care of this situation?

The root of so many problems is really your struggle with God. You want to be in control, you want to be God, you want to be the master of your faith, you want to be in charge, you want to call the shots. But you were never meant to be or do any of those things. So God uses a crisis in your life to force the issue.

Do you ever feel that dealing with your problems is like a wrestling match? The objective of wrestling is to pin the opponent down on the mat until they finally say, "I give up. I surrender! You're in control."

That's what God was doing in his wrestling match with Jacob in the Old Testament. He was going to pin Jacob down until he surrendered and gave up control.

At one point in their wrestling match, God wounded Jacob’s hip, an injury that would give him a lingering limp. Jacob was suddenly in a position of helplessness and in a situation where he couldn’t win.

Even in the midst of your no-win situation, God is there. In fact, he often uses a crisis to get your attention. God whispers to you in your pleasure, but he shouts to you in your pain.

The Bible says, “Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways” (Proverbs 20:30 GNT). In other words, you don't change when you see the light; you change when you feel the heat.

God loves you the way you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way. When he makes you go through a wrestling match, he’s making you into who you were meant to be—more like Jesus Christ. He makes you weak so that you learn to depend on him for everything you need.

You rarely change until your pain becomes greater than your fear of change. If you’re wrestling with God right now, surrender to him. Therein lies the only way forward on a path marked with spiritual growth and peace.

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This devotional © 2018 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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