It was said that if you break an egg from the outside the chick will not survive, or life will end for the bird. But if you allow the bird to break out from the inside, new life begins. There is something to be said about struggling that strengthens us, even struggles within. Struggles strengthen our resolve, build our courage, fine tune our strategies, and almost always increase our confidence.

Interestingly enough, when God brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt in a miraculous manner by parting the Red Sea, then drowning the Egyptians in it, providing water from a rock in the desert, providing food for them daily where they just had to go out and pick it up off the ground, all they seemed to do was complain. When they were finally allowed to cross the Jordan and fight for the land, they were courageous, thankful, confident, worshipful, and exuberant. They acknowledged that it was the Lord who was giving them the power and authority to take the land but they had to fight to take what the Lord had promised to them. And it brought satisfaction in their lives.

Don’t shy away from the fight, because like the chicken and the egg, it is in the struggles that many of the restrictions and limitations that have been holding you back are cracked and broken away and new life and opportunities begin. James says it this way, James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (NLT)

May you experience enough of things going right to affirm the Lord’s blessing and affirmation on your life but may you also experience enough struggles so that your endurance is fully developed as to bring new life and opportunities your way.

D.O.V.E.