Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

"Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."¹

Years ago there was a song that said: "Into each life some rain must fall, But too much is falling in mine."

The first line certainly is true. Problems, difficulties, challenges, and obstacles come to us all. That's life. And without doubt, the more noble our life's purpose is, the greater the obstacles we will be confronted with and challenged by.

However, the important thing to realize is that it's not what obstacles we are confronted with that count, but how we respond to and what we do about them.

Obstacles are meant to be object lessons for usâ€"to teach us how to grow, become strong in character and matureâ€"ready for anything. They are meant to challenge us…to stretch us…to show us what potential and possibilities we can see and achieve.

The reality is we can either run from our problemsâ€"the obstacles placed in our pathâ€"or we can, with God’s help, overcome and learn from them and thereby become more mature persons, and stronger in character. The choice is ours. Remember, character countsâ€"always in all ways!

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the obstacles You allow in my life. Help me to see in every one a lesson to learn, an opportunity to grow, and a challenge to become more mature and stronger in character. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. James 1:2-4 (NLT).

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