Challenging seasons are an expected part of life in this broken world. I naturally focus on the negative, and complaining is an everyday battle. God calls us to tame the urge to complain and endure faithfully instead. In this article, I review Paul’s outline to help God’s people in a season of suffering.

My season of struggling

Last year was a challenging year. God has blessed me with a stable family, consistent community, and unchanging house situation. But after COVID-19 hit in March of 2020, significant changes happened fast. We moved from my home of 15 years to a new town opposite from my previous situation. With moving came saying goodbye to both my friends and my plan for how the next few years would go. I started a new school and tried preoccupying myself however I could. My Bible studies became farther apart and shorter in duration. Getting up each day became more challenging. I couldn’t focus in school, and I frequently fought drowsiness. I felt like I couldn’t open up to anyone because my problems seemed minuscule in importance. My reaction was unjustified, or at least that’s what I believed.

I was at a complete low, and I couldn’t help but beat myself up about it. I was angry at God because I felt so far from Him. There was so much resentment against myself as I thought I couldn’t be upset because my issues were small compared to what other people had gone through. While I didn’t openly complain, I internalized the blame and thus complained to myself.

Paul’s message on helping you endure faithfully

Paul writes in verse 6 of 2 Corinthians 1 “If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.”

We receive comfort when we patiently and faithfully endure, not when we complain. It wasn’t until I opened my Bible and started writing that I felt happier, more at peace. I can look back now, although it was barely a few months ago, and I can see how God used a bad situation for my benefit.

At the beginning of this year, I started a deep-dive into Paul’s books. I have always resonated with Paul, his background, and his major reform. I’ve always appreciated his journey from subscribing to a legalistic approach to following God to understanding the heart of the law is love. A few of his messages inspired recent blog posts. Anyway, I came across an exciting battle plan of sorts in 2 Corinthians 1, which answers the question of “how do we endure the rough seasons with patience and faithfulness?” This is the message I wish I had heard sooner, but it is also one I carry into my daily life now.

In 2 Corinthians 1, Paul outlines a plan of action for whenever we feel discouraged in a tough season.

Endure by acknowledging the human

Verse 8 says, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.”

Paul didn’t sugarcoat the situation. He opened his letter with an honest look at how he was doing. When we are going through a difficult time, it is essential not to ignore the struggle, but to acknowledge the human. The humility we get when we know we can’t do something is a crucial part of accepting our need for a savior. If we could handle it on our own, why would we need Jesus?

We only deceive ourselves when we ignore our human restrictions.

The first step in remaining faithful and enduring with patience is to remember that I can’t do it independently. There is no shame in saying, “This situation hurts. What I’m going through is hard.” Pride and deceit have no place in long-term endurance. Honesty and humility are what got me through a dry season.

Find the spiritual

Verse 9 says, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.”

Remembering that we fight a spiritual battle is as crucial as realizing there is a battle in the first place. The second step in enduring faithfully and patiently is remembering that we are not battling COVID and neighborhood changes. We are fighting a spiritual war.
Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

I remember internalizing jokes, comments, and any measure of criticism. It was hard for me to let harsh or even joking words go. I felt like everyone agreed with the voice of perfectionism. I often focus on the external signs instead of deciphering the internal struggle. For me, I take a moment when I start to blame myself for the harsh words of another and think of Ephesians 6:12. When I overanalyze a joke and allow a careless word to steal my joy, I recite Ephesians 6:12. I have to stop myself from thinking unproductively and refocus my mind on God’s absolute truth.

Remember there’s a reason

Verse 9 continues with, “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

It seems like overused advice to “remember there is a reason.” I know there is a purpose to the pain, but amid my hard season, the last thing I think about is the potential lessons I may learn from it. Because we are human, we naturally gravitate towards acknowledging the pain and doing it in excess. But because we are now children of God, He calls us to remember pain is not all there is. It’s a beautiful message but not easily practiced. Paul spoke to the human within before asking us to remember there is a purpose in this season.

Remember the past

Verse 10 says, “He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

It is important to remember God’s past faithfulness because His victories are our assurance. Checking the reviews on a potential purchase is similar to remembering God’s past triumphs. You feel more secure in your purchase the more positive reviews. We feel more confident in God’s faithfulness the more we reflect on His past faithfulness, both in our personal journey and in others’ lives.

Ask for prayers to endure

Verse 11 says, “You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.”

Lastly, building a community is widely encouraged throughout the Bible. Paul encourages us to share our struggles and our triumphs with fellow believers, so God’s victory in the life of one will inspire the lives of many.

I hope you were encouraged by this post on endurance during a season of struggling! What were your thoughts? I’d love to hear what you have to say in the comments!
Until next time,
-Alycia