When you endure the struggle, true strength is created. Be like the sun -- the sun is loyal. It rises no matter what. Those storms are going to come, but the sun will rise either way. What I'm saying is that it's important to know within yourself that you've got whatever it takes to rise even when the storm comes. That takes practice, but you should never stop proving that to yourself. No matter how perfect your life is or how perfect you pretend that it is, you will either have gone through hard times, be going through hard times, or will have to go through hard times in the future. That's just a fact of life. You have to push yourself to the point where you want to quit, but you endure.
No matter the storm, mountain, trial, or trauma, you can tell yourself, "This is building me." You then need to realize that everything is working to your benefit and not to your detriment. Sometimes building feels like breaking at first, sometimes strength feels like pain first, and sometimes clarity feels like confusion at first. It's all a part of the journey. God never promises that the race won't have obstacles, but what he does promise is that you can lean into Him, and his strength will make you endure.
As you climb this mountain, you may realize that there's another mountain. You reach the peak and see that there is another peak to climb. Remember this: if the mountain was an easy journey, the peak wouldn't be worth it. Struggle creates the opportunity for meaning in your life, and the more you endure, the more meaning you will find. It's the grind of the journey that brings that peace in your ability to persevere. Every setback sets you up for success.
We serve a faithful God, and He is taking those broken, confused, embarrassed, and twisted parts of you to form you into a masterpiece. A masterpiece isn't a perfect version, it's a perfectly balanced set of flaws that create something never created before. Your experience is so uniquely shaping you, and you have to endure to truly know the depth of the grace and strength that is waiting for you.
I know I say this a lot, but it's the world we are living in. It's so easy to compare your story to what people are putting out on social media, but remember their journey is not your journey. It's your race. Sometimes that race seems too hard. Sometimes it feels unfair, but remember this: the hardest battles are given to the strongest soldiers. Don't let your experiences own you -- own your experiences. Be like the sun -- loyal to rising up no matter the circumstances, no matter the obstacles, no matter what. This will build you into the person you were meant to be.
It all starts with you.
