Challenges

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

James 1:2–3 (ESV)

You thought challenges would ease once the kids were grown. You imagined fewer sleepless nights, fewer decisions that kept you up praying in the dark. Instead, the challenges simply changed shape. They became quieter but heavier. Adult children making choices you cannot control. Bodies that no longer bounce back. Dreams that feel postponed, altered, or quietly grieving.

These challenges don’t announce themselves loudly. They sit with you while you drink your coffee. They ask questions you don’t know how to answer. Did I do enough? Did I miss something? Why does this still hurt?

James doesn’t tell us to enjoy trials. He tells us to consider them differently. Not because they are good, but because God uses them. Steadfastness is not built in comfort. It is formed when faith is tested and still chooses to stay.

This is faith with eraser marks. Faith that shows up tired and unsure but still present. Faith that says, God, I don’t understand this season, but I am not walking away.

Challenges are not proof that you failed or that God has forgotten you. Often, they are evidence that He is still shaping you, still refining what matters most.

You are not weak for feeling worn. You are being strengthened in ways you may not recognize yet.

Personal action:

Today, name one challenge you are facing and pray without asking for escape. Ask instead for steadfastness and the courage to remain faithful where you are.

Alycia Neighbours