Going through challenges in midlife can feel disheartening. We believed some struggles would be long past by now. We expected certain prayers to have been answered. Yet you may be here again—walking in a season filled with loss, uncertainty, fatigue, or hardship.
Jesus never promised life would be free of trouble. In fact, He made it clear that challenges are inevitable. Difficult seasons don’t mean your faith is weak or your calling is off track—they’re simply part of navigating a broken world while walking with a faithful Savior.
The Bible reveals something unexpected about suffering:
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3–4, ESV)
Even through suffering, we can trust that God is using it for our benefit. He is using the hard times as a way of shaping us—building our faith through endurance, shaping our character and giving us a hope that’s grounded in something far more solid than our circumstances.
Looking Upward
When hardship lingers, it’s easy to dwell there—to replay the same worries, questions, and disappointments over and over. But the Apostle Paul tells us what to do in these circumstances:
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
(Colossians 3:2, NIV)
This doesn’t mean turning a blind eye to reality or pushing down grief. It’s about choosing where we place our attention. We can face what’s difficult while keeping our hearts grounded in God’s truth.
Your Hardship Is Not Wasted
“[God] comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NIV)
What you are walking through right now matters. It is not wasted time, pain, or effort. Hardships force faith into action, teaching you how to cling to God who will give you comfort.
One day, someone else will sit across from you and quietly ask, “How did you get through that?”
They won’t be looking for the perfect answer.
They’ll want to know why you are no longer stuck.
And that lived-out faith becomes your testimony—not just of endurance, but of hope.
There is something sacred about walking the curved road—the one that didn’t go straight, smooth, or fast. Rejoice not because the road was easy, but because you endured.
God met you there.
Journaling Prompt:
This week, switch up your journaling by writing it like a letter to someone you love—or even your younger self. Describe:
- What you walked through
- What felt hardest
- How God met you there
- How your hardship built endurance, shaped your character, and strengthened your hope
Writing your story will help you see how God was at work, even in the suffering.
Disclaimer: Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan.
Scriptures marked ESV are taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION (ESV): Scriptures taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ® Copyright© 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
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