How do you meet the difficulties of life?

The journey of life often leads us through difficult times. No traveler has ever traveled the highway of life without difficulties. Job said that "man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:7) and that "man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble" (Job 14:1).

Sometimes you can't prevent troubles from coming. The secret is learning how to meet your troubles. Difficulties along life's journey are certain; therefore, the question is not what to do if difficulties come, but what to do when they come. How do you meet the difficulties of life?

When difficulties come we often try to face and deal with them in our own way and by our own strength and resources. We attempt to bear and carry the load ourselves. We do all we can to solve the problem.

Rick Majerus, former men's basketball coach at the University of Utah and ESPN commentator, once said: "Everyone's

worried about the economy this year. Hey, my hairline is in recession, my waistline is in inflation, and altogether, I'm in depression."

When we lean on our own understanding and try to do it ourselves, it always results in worry, anxiety, discouragement and depression.

There are difficulties that we can't solve or handle on our own. There are times when we reach the end of ourselves. Difficulties have a way of exhausting our strength and the ability to cope with what we are going through.

Yet, the Bible tells us that we do not have to bear our burdens and face our difficulties in our own strength. We are told: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding" (Prov. 3:5).

When we are faced with the difficulties of life, we have a refuge to which we can run. Moses told the children of Israel: "The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27).

King David declared: "The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble" (Ps. 9:9).

What a wonderful promise is given to us in Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1).

When troubles come, the apostle Peter invites us: "Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you" (1 Pet. 5:7).

The year ahead may bring many burdens, trials, and difficulties. What do you do when difficulties come? Trust the Lord with all your heart. Run to Him as your refuge in time of trouble. Cast your burdens upon Him. Instead of trying to carry your burden alone, let the Lord carry your burden.

In his great hymn, Joseph Scriven reminds us: "What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pains we bear, All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer."

If the journey of life leads us through difficulties, we are promised that the Lord will be with us. We will not have to face those difficulties in our own strength and power. We have a refuge in the Lord and in Him we can trust.

Happy New Year!

Reverend David Tilney is the Senior Pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Cloquet.