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“…and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,” Romans 5:4 (ESV)

What girl doesn’t love a sassy pair of shoes?  My fave for the winter are a brown leather pair of stylish boots.  Only one problem – they are simply not comfortable.  I wore them about a week ago to an event and loved how they looked with my sweater and leggings.  Two days later, my excitement over wearing them ended.  The nerve in my foot was greatly irritated, and I found myself wearing my crocs as I hobbled down the hallway.  The pain and discomfort were not worth it even for this fashionista.

Foregoing the discomfort of a pair of boots was wise; however, there have probably been a lot of discomforts in life I chose to extinguish that would have served me well.  Not all discomforts are the same – some are the ideal platform for launching character building within us.  Excusing ourselves out of the picture when circumstances stretch us will shortage the beauty of growth.

Totally mesmerized by the telling of Hannah’s story who was ridiculed for her barrenness by her husband’s other wife (I Samuel 1).  Can’t imagine the place of discomfort she found herself surrounded by in her own home.  Yet Hannah never retaliated, instead she trusted her God and watched as He fulfilled her dreams and grew her character even in her places of misery.

Absolutely love the story of Joseph – you know the one with the coat of many colors (Genesis 39 – 50). The trajectory of his life yo-yoed between ease and discomfort. From being squished in a tight, mirky pit to living in a luxurious palace and then to a dark prison cell.  Joseph’s character was forged in those pivotal moments of discomfort.

Cherish the unfolding of Paul’s journey – his rise from popularity and brutal martyr of Christians to his humble discomfort as a true follower of Christ.  Afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed (II Corinthians 4:8-9).  Paul’s character was polished in the persecutions and trials as he persevered in daily discomforts.

Where is God using discomforts in our lives as an ideal platform to launch character building? Maybe it’s in the dread of day to day difficulties – attempting to do it all.  Perhaps it’s in the isolation created by COVID.  Maybe it’s in the overwhelmedness of teaching children while attempting to do our job.  Perhaps it’s rooted in the disappointment of what we envisioned our life to look like.  Maybe it’s the overarching pain from the injustices we’ve endured.

Regardless of what our discomfort looks like, we can choose to leave excuses behind. Our God can be trusted to use all things to transform us into radiant women who reflect His glory.

“Father, teach us to walk in the midst of discomfort with Your view of growth.  Help us to resist the urge to give up, to quit and miss out on the beauty You desire to create within us.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life