And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Think about some of the things you learned after going through a difficult season. Even though we wouldn’t choose those struggles for ourselves or desire to experience them again, we learned invaluable lessons that would be hard to learn any other way. In life, seasons of struggle are a given. Our world is broken, and we all experience that brokenness firsthand at some point. But our God is that He is a God of purpose and redemption.

We like to avoid conflict. We prefer the easy days and seasons and crave the comforts of life. But our God doesn’t avoid conflict or take only the easy way. He is with us in the tough times, grieves with us when we are broken, and heals us, teaches us, and makes us new.

In Psalm 23:4-5, David says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows.” David didn’t say if he experienced tough times but when. What made his journey through the difficulties meaningful was not finding a reason for it or believing it was easier than he thought. What made his journey through the darkest time meaningful was God’s presence. God’s presence was steady even when like was painful and difficult, even in the presence of the strongest enemies. As we start to prepare our hearts for a new year, we have hope that regardless of what happens, our God will form us and lead us through the good and tough times we face.

• When have you experienced God’s presence through a tough time? What did you learn from that?
• What are some challenges coming up in the year ahead? How can you walk with God through those things?
• Pray and ask God to remind you of His presence in the hard things you face this year.