When You Wish for a Different Challenge

Are you someone who works hard? A person who prides themselves on their strength and resilience? Yet the struggle before you seems impossible, and you wish for a different challenge. Perhaps, like many of us, you’ve boldly asked, “God, why didn’t you give me a battle where I could demonstrate my God-given abilities.”

Wishing For a Different Challenge

I remember voicing this very thought to a friend, and the moment the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. The pride and ignorance in my statement were glaring, especially considering the battle before her. I had naively assumed I could triumph if given her family members’ struggle. At that moment, I was stuck in the mindset of wishing for a different challenge, thinking that perhaps another challenge would be more suited to my strengths.

Do you ever wish for a different struggle?

Carlie Lake captured this sentiment perfectly in her post, “Looking to God for Help in the Fiery Middle.” She wrote with honesty, “But sometimes, I wish my fire was different. I wish I could choose my struggles.” Her words resonated deeply with me; maybe they will with you, too.

A Natural Response to Challenges

It’s essential to recognize that wishing for a different struggle is a natural response to our hardships. It’s easy to look at someone else’s life and think, “I could handle that better.” But the truth is, we never fully know the weight of another person’s cross. What may seem like a lighter burden from afar could be an overwhelming challenge up close. In these moments of longing for a different struggle, we can lose sight of the growth and transformation that our current battle will bring about in us. Remember, struggles can transform us into the people we are meant to be.

God Will Shape Us Through Our Pain

Now, over a decade into a journey that I once thought was beyond my abilities—one fraught with pain, frustration, fear, and a lot of waiting—I understand why God allowed this particular battle in my life. It’s a testament to the transformative power of struggles, turning what we once thought was beyond us into a journey of growth and understanding.

My family’s struggle brought me to my knees, stripping away my self-reliance and pride and leading me to a place of complete dependence on God. In my weakness, I found Jesus in ways I never imagined.

However, even in the midst of our unexpected challenges, if we trust God to guide us, He will not waste our pain. We can be certain, beyond any doubt, that the Lord is right there with us. The Lord knows what He is doing. And through our challenges, He will transform us, shaping us into the people He designed us to be, instilling in us a resilience and strength we never knew we had.

God Will Use Us if We Say Yes

God has led me into spaces I never would have chosen—places where I often feel inadequate, fearful, and deeply aware of the pain others are enduring. Yet, when I stand in those spaces, I know with absolute certainty that I AM NOT ALONE.

Yes, we can step out from the safety of our comfort zones into the places where God calls us. He will equip us for the journey, but we must say “yes” and trust Him in the struggle, not placing our faith in our abilities.

Have you allowed God to use your struggles to help others? Why? Why Not? Please share your story in the comments.

In Our Brokenness, God’s Power is Evident

In my journey, the struggle I initially wished away has become a defining part of my life. It has taught me humility in ways that success and ease never could. I’ve learned that true strength isn’t about how much we can handle on our own but how much we can lean on God when we are weakest. Yet, I would never wish the pain of mental illness on any family, especially the suffering my loved ones endure. Yet, God has changed me for the better.

There have been countless times when I’ve felt like giving up, when the pain seemed too much to bear, and the road ahead too uncertain. But in those dark moments, God’s presence has been most noticeable. He has met me in the depths of my despair, not to take away the challenge but to walk me through it. This reassurance of God’s constant presence in our struggles brings a deep sense of comfort and security.

Comfort and Strength

(Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

Unexpected Blessings

The struggle has also brought unexpected blessings. I have listed a few of them in the article “Blessings in the Midst of My Child’s Mental Illness.” It has deepened my empathy for others who are suffering. Before this journey, I could only offer sympathy, but now I can provide genuine empathy, having walked through my valley of shadow. This empathy has opened doors for connection and ministry I never envisioned. I have been able to speak into the lives of others struggling to care for a loved one with mental illness, not from a place of theory but from a place of lived experience. My words carry the weight of someone who has been there, who has cried similar tears and asked the same questions. The power of empathy can create deep connections and provide comfort in shared experiences.

The Biggest Lesson Learned

One of my most profound lessons is that our struggles will not go to waste if we allow God to use them. The pain will shape, refine, and prepare us for the work he has for us. This truth is hard to grasp amid the suffering, but looking back, I can see how every tear, every sleepless night, and every desperate prayer has been part of God’s larger plan for my life.

As I continue in life, I am learning to embrace the struggle, not as a punishment but as a gift. A present that has drawn me closer to God deepened my faith and equipped me to serve others in ways I never imagined. And while I may still occasionally wish for a different challenge, I am learning to trust that God knows what He’s doing.

So, if you’re in the midst of a struggle and you wish for a different challenge, take heart. You are not alone. God is with you; He will use this battle to bring about something beautiful in your life. Trust Jesus, lean on Him, and know that in your weakness, His strength is made perfect.

Upcoming Talk: Navigating Heartache & Heartbreak: A Journey of Faith and Resilience

In this heartfelt talk, Erin Canter shares personal stories of how she has navigated deep heartache and found God’s presence amid pain. Drawing from her life and the wisdom God has revealed through difficult times, Erin will explore Biblical examples and practical tools for finding strength and hope on this journey of loving someone with a mental illness.

Erin Canter, ordained in 2006, is the online pastor of Steady Course Ministries, where she provides spiritual counsel, mental health coaching, and prayer. Married for 27 years, she is a mother of three and grandmother of six. Erin, who lives with Trigeminal Neuralgia, remains active in ministry despite her health challenges. She attends Infinite Church and serves with her husband in the Forged of Fire Biker Ministry.

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Embracing Faith & Mental Illness Community

Embracing Faith & Mental Illness is a Christ-centered online community for people who care for someone with a mental illness. We have four unique ways for caregivers to participate. You choose what works best for you.

Click here to discover four unique ways for caregivers to participate.

Grace and Truth Christian Link-Up Each Friday

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