You Can Do Hard Things
At least a couple of days each week, I feel nervous as I drive to work. This has been an issue since I graduated from college. In the past year, I’ve switched careers from being a middle school teacher to being a behavior tech working with kids who have autism. While some of my worries are a little different now, I’m still concerned that some random, unpredictable event will happen, and I won’t know how to handle it in the moment.
You would think that eventually, the nerves would go away, but after years of working with kids, I still get worried as I prepare to go to work in the morning. I want to do a good job so badly because the work I do is so important to me.
Although I don’t think working with kids is my calling forever, I enjoy feeling like the work I am doing right now is worthwhile and makes a difference in other people’s lives. But despite years of evidence to the contrary, I still have a voice whispering that I am not capable of doing the work almost every day.
This happens to all of us sometimes. When things get hard, and we see ourselves struggle occasionally, we begin to think that we don’t have what it takes. We think that if we were on the right path, everything would be easy. After all, it seems like people who are successful never struggle. We think that we must be doing something wrong. We imagine that if we were simply better as a person, then our lives would proceed perfectly.
It’s easy to be pessimistic when we see others succeeding. To begin to think that somehow, our talents and abilities just aren’t as developed as those around us. These thoughts can lead us to forget that God is the one who created us to be the person that we are. He has created plans for our lives that do not rely solely on our abilities.
“‘For I know that plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” -Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
We can trust that God has a plan for us, but He does not promise that we will never struggle. Sometimes we will think we are failing, and sometimes we will fail because we are human. We don’t have to trust in our own abilities though.
David from the Old Testament became the second king of Israel, but he spent his boyhood watching his family’s flock of sheep. Samuel anointed David while David was still a boy after God revealed to him that David would be the next king.
David did not live the life of a prince being trained to rule. He was successful at some aspects of ruling. But, even with God’s blessing, David made his share of mistakes, both personal and professional. He could have let those experiences convince him he just didn’t have what it took to lead Israel. However, he turned to the Lord when he was faced with challenges.
In the Psalms David writes;
“I lift my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” -Psalm 121:1-2 NIV
When we are convinced that we don't have what it takes to fulfill the role God has for us right now, we have to remind ourselves that we are not relying on our abilities alone. With God’s help, we are capable of doing the hard things that would otherwise be outside of our own strength.
Every morning as I worry whether or not I have what it takes to make it through a workday, I remind myself that with God to lead me, I can do hard things. This hasn’t stopped me from being anxious, and I have to remind myself of this truth often. But, it is true.
Each day, with God’s help, we do difficult things. Even when we struggle and believe we are failing, we can be confident that God has a plan, and He will use us to carry that plan out.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Elizabeth is an educator at heart. So far this has taken the form of a camp counselor, a museum assistant, and currently a middle school teacher. She loves to watch people grow and learn. You can read more of her writing at her blog Chronicles of a Southern Belle