Difficult Seasons

Difficult seasons are a normal part of life. The Bible tells us so.

• Sometimes God spares us the pain. Sometimes God allows us to suffer through it.
• Sometimes we are intensely aware of God’s presence. Sometimes it seems that God is absent.
• Sometimes God provides a miracle for someone else, while seemingly ignoring my pleas.
• Some good people seem to live charmed lives. Other good people seem to never get a break.

About the time we think we have God and life figured out, we find our human wisdom shattered by a new event, and we’re left to pick up the pieces and rebuild our understanding of God and our lives.

Faith in God is not only believing what you can’t see or touch, but faith in God is also believing when God’s action or inaction doesn’t make sense to you or is not how you would want your God to behave. It’s easy to say, “God is good!” while we’re on the mountaintop. It’s harder to say when we’re in a dark valley.

Life does have its dark valleys, and that’s where spiritual growth occurs – precisely because we have to struggle with the paradox of God. And when we emerge from the valley, we have a wound from the struggle, and a new life.

This blog is about those difficult seasons, what we can do to make it through them, and how we can help others as they are going through them.  This blog will be richer and more useful with your participation.  Thanks in advance for contributing.

Difficult Seasons always have a spiritual component because we’re led to ponder the deeper questions.  I approach Difficult Seasons from a Christian worldview, which is my worldview.  You may have a different worldview, but you’ll still benefit from reading and participating in the conversation.

Welcome to Difficult Seasons!

Jim Hughes