Sometimes I get frustrated. Do you? I am walking on crutches, have a huge “boot” on my foot and cannot do the things I have been doing. At times I am frustrated and want to shout out loud. Sadly, Cyndi, my wife, has taken the brunt of my frustration and she has been very good to me.

I know that we all have things that frustrate us or pull us down. Sometimes we can let these things destroy us. There are times when we think that the problems will never end. All we can think of is the misery or pain that we are enduring. I have hope. Next week I can begin walking without my crutches. After that I will be out of the boot and hope, yes, hope, to be pain free in my foot.

But for some they cannot see any hope whatsoever. They do not see an end in sight. The problems endure, amass and push them to the limit. Have I described anyone you know yet?

The things that happen in life do so for a reason. Sometimes we are the cause of the problem. If we take care of ourselves, if we follow directions (God’s Word), we can avoid problems. When we let ourselves go and do not follow the instructions given to us we harm ourselves.

But other times we go through trials that we did not cause. At that point it is hard to understand. There are some verses that have always helped me and I hope it will you too. They are from Romans 5:3-5, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (NASV) What a great lesson! The times that are the hardest for us are the greatest times of growth in our lives. The trials we go through bring about patience that show the kind of character we have and in the end it all gives us hope—something to look forward to.

When you are struggling with anything at all, don’t give in or give up, as bad as it may seem. There is hope if we just trust in God.