Before becoming a Christian my life was quite problematic. However, since growing in my faith to a level of maturity I no longer see problems, instead, I see challenges… and in those challenges I see opportunities for new spiritual growth and practical advantages! Challenges encourage, inspire, motivate, and keep me on-top of life’s circumstance.  

My new outlook of life came about through the work of the Holy Spirit who enabled me to see life from God’s clear perspective. With God’s help, disruptions to our well-made plans, and the plans of others, become challenges – purposefully chosen by Him to test and stretch our faith a little more, always for win-win outcomes.

Friends, life on earth is problematic and chaotic – It’s a mess… becoming worse by the day! How can we expect our well-made plans to succeed in such a dysfunctional and corrupt context? Well, without God’s intervention they can’t! For me, it’s only through God’s management of my life that makes it possible for me to substitute the word ‘problem’ in my vocabulary with the word ‘challenge’. While problems have a negative connotation – through God, challenges are positive!

Several months ago I travelled interstate from Western Australia to Queensland to connect with my wife to travel together to Sydney, NSW, Our four-year-old granddaughter had commenced treatment for Leukaemia. I planned to be away eight days before returning to my place of ministry at Newman, WA. However, Covid-mania stepped in once again and interstate borders closed for several weeks, preventing my return. 

The closure of boarders was not in my control. However, in my control was freedom to either choose to see this disruption to my plan as a problem or another faith-testing, faith-stretching challenge. How did I react? I praised God, saying…“Lord, You are Sovereign – You are always in control. Thank You for Your leadership in my life. I trust You completely with what is happening. Stretch me further in my faith in You.”

My response to that challenge is consistent with the advice that James gives… “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So, let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (1:2-4).

Friends, testing and stretching challenges are good for us, even when the process produces inconvenience and discomfort. God determines the exact amount of testing and stretching that is right for each of us. If your desire is to see your faith continue to grow then may I suggest that you look forward to each and every testing and stretching challenge with a glad and grateful heart.

Believers are like rubber bands: They are designed to work best when in a stretched condition.

Best wishes
Bill Joukhadar