79. Embracing Challenges: Faith, Adversity, and Spiritual Growth

Ever noticed how society often equates an easy life with success, while faith teaches us to embrace life's challenges? We shine a light on the paradox of the American dream's promise of comfort versus the gospel's call to embrace our crosses. Reflect with us on Luke 9:23 and John 16:33, as we discuss the transformative power of facing adversity head-on. This episode is a heartfelt prayer for those feeling compelled towards daunting endeavors, reminding you that growth often stems from enduring trials and that you're not alone in your journey.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Have you ever thought life's not easy?
Okay, that's a silly question.
We all know that.
We've all had hard times.
We all probably have hard timesevery single day in one part or
the other.
And Ordinary PeopleExtraordinary Things talks about
these hard times, but with theinvitation of faith and hope.
So I know you've heard a lot ofthese stories.

(00:23):
But it came to me the other daythat the American dream part of
it is that life is easy and wego after such easiness that the
gospel can't coincide with that,if that makes sense.
So dying to the American dreamof life is easy and chasing

(00:45):
after comfort and running aftercomfort is so hard.
But I think it might also behelpful, because when we have
hard times we try to run awayfrom them.
We do everything to get awayfrom them.
We think something's wrong,something's wrong with me,
something's wrong with thesituation, because life should
be easy and it's not.
Now God does say that his yokeis easy, but so many times.

(01:09):
Luke 9, 23 says it and he saidto all this is Jesus.
If anyone would come after me,let him deny himself and take up
his cross daily and follow me.
I know many of you have heardthis, but these words deny
yourself.
Take up his cross, his crossdaily to follow him.

(01:35):
And I'm afraid that when we runtowards comfort, we're running
away from something reallysignificant that God might have
in store for us.
And maybe you can think of that.
Maybe you're listening andthinking of one of the podcasts
where someone went throughsomething and how God really
changed them and moved themduring that time.

(01:57):
So I don't have any words onhow to do that, because I think
God's going to do that in everysituation.
But don't run away from thehard.
Don't run away and run justtowards comfort, because you'll
keep on running.
John 16, 33 says I have saidthese things to you, that in me

(02:21):
you may have peace In the world.
You will have tribulation, buttake heart.
I have overcome the world.
Jesus said he has overcome it.
So I'm just praying thatthere's something on your heart
that God wants you to do.
I know for me it was doing thispodcast.
I did not want to do it becauseof the time, but also I didn't

(02:44):
want to fail.
But God said do it.
He didn't say what it would be,but to not run away from
something that God's calling youto because it's hard, or to
stay with it even in the hardtimes, and I'm just praying over
that for you today.
I can't wait for you to join usin August with new guests.

(03:06):
For Ordinary People,Extraordinary Things.