Estimated Reading Time: 15 mins
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Introduction
Mistakes, financial debts, failed relationships, distressing medical diagnosis, an uncertain career path, an addiction, a failed business, or a lifetime of being underestimated.
And the list goes on.
There are countless others I haven’t mentioned, but these are just a few examples of experiences that can make someone feel as though all is lost.
If you’ve endured multiple difficulties, the accumulation has likely led you to wonder ‘Why me?’ more times than you can count.
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You may be feeling fed up, exhausted, or simply tired of life even in this very moment.
In more extreme cases, some feel a strong desire to end it all — and the truth is, I’ve been there too.
As cliché as it may sound, there’s one message I want you to take away.
No matter how much your confidence in life may plummet, you are not a write-off.
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You were created by God with a purpose.
Once life begins to improve, the experiences of the past and the emotions they carried will gradually fade into the distance.
Never give up without having given yourself the full opportunity to explore exactly what you’re capable of — even in the face of conditions that may tell you otherwise.
You belong here, and you matter.
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Exploring the Heaviness
Many of the difficult situations we experience in life are often temporary.
However, the trap many of us fall into is applying permanent responses to temporary problems.
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Negative emotions brought on by problematic situations can influence negative responses and if left unchecked, this cycle can worsen.
The induced upset, worry and anxiety we feel can push us into catastrophising.
When that happens, we often spiral into a state of mind that requires significant effort to recover from.
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Developing the ability to direct your mindset and shift your perspective during chaotic seasons isn’t an overnight job.
It takes time and consistent, intentional effort.
When you find yourself at a difficult crossroads, being optimistic is one of the hardest things to do.
And if you’re used to life throwing constant curveballs your way, it can feel even harder.
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Adversity — A Stepping Stone to Success
I once used to associate the term ‘success’ solely with financial wealth or business achievement.
My own journey and experiences in life led me to realise that the most meaningful form of success isn’t always what we assume.
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God created us to discover our purpose, develop ourselves for that purpose, and to deploy ourselves in that purpose — and monetary gain has very little to do with it.
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Success is found in personal growth and having the ability to master your state of being.
To achieve it, we must become the person capable of handling it.
We need to recognise that part of that growth lies in the paths we take through the adversities we face.
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How we perceive, respond to, and recover from adversity matters.
Despite its unpleasantness, it builds character, and strengthened character makes us more capable which leads to greater outcomes in life.
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Building a relationship with the Lord, in my experience, is also deeply beneficial.
His Word provides everything necessary to develop the strength of our spirit.
Once increased, life’s battles become easier to face — because we add a supernatural advantage to our ability.
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You may feel you don’t matter, that no one sees you, or that you’ve been through so much that life now feels unredeemable.
Never place your faith in the self-sabotaging thoughts provoked by your turmoil, because you matter more than your problems.
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Some of the greatest figures in the Bible were the underdogs of their time and I want us to explore a few of their stories.
My hope is that your mindset becomes energised, so you feel encouraged to overcome any difficulty you may be facing.
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Peril to Purpose
Moses was one of the greatest leaders of Israel escaping death from his very birth.
God called him with the intent of raising him as the leader who would deliver His people from bondage in Egypt.
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Despite God making the call directly, Moses having little faith in himself raised a question.
The truth is, Moses had fled Egypt after committing a murder — killing an Egyptian he saw beating an Israelite slave.
After escaping, he found refuge in the desert and went on to live as a shepherd under his father-in-law, Jethro.
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When God called him, Moses was a fugitive in the wilderness, attempting to live a humble life.
Once God revealed his assignment, Moses became fixated on his perceived shortcomings — particularly his inability to speak fluently.
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His lack of confidence was so profound that he enlisted his brother Aaron to accompany him as his vocal representative.
Despite his doubt, uncertainty, and feelings of inadequacy, he was still used by God to deliver the Israelites from Egypt in extraordinary ways.
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Moses was targeted for death as a newborn, yet ironically raised as a prince before later being declared a fugitive.
In a bid to escape his sentencing, he fled, and spent forty years of his life in the wilderness.
The most fascinating thing about his experiences is it all shaped him to become one of Israel’s greatest leaders.
His adversities became part of his journey of ‘Becoming’, equipping, and qualifying him for his unique life’s assignment.
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The Shepherd King
Another was David.
He was a mere shepherd and the youngest of his brothers, overlooked by all.
So much so that when Samuel arrived to anoint God’s chosen, David wasn’t even called to attend.
Even so, he still went on to become one of Israel’s greatest kings, most beloved by God.
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He was young and boy-like in comparison to his brothers and the other soldiers of Israel.
But David possessed something they didn’t — unwavering faith.
Despite the limitations suggested by his outward appearance, he believed God could use him to defeat Goliath, freeing Israel from the threat of the Philistines.
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David’s faith enabled him to slay Goliath in his humble shepherd’s attire, armed with nothing more than a handful of stones.
Regardless of his social status or appearance, factors that deeply concerned the army of Israel, he accomplished exactly what he set out to do.
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What the army of Israel didn’t know, was the level of tribulation David had faced in private.
He had fought and killed both a lion and a bear on separate occasions while protecting his sheep.
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The adversities he faced in the shadows gave rise to his unwavering confidence in public.
Ultimately, he was the only one brave enough to take on Goliath.
Unphased by the size of their problem, he focused on the size of his God, from whom he derived his strength.
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Perspective Forms Outcomes
The problems you face in silence that currently overwhelm you, can become the very things that contribute to your life elevation later.
If you can stomach a determination to pushing through, the very issue you felt would be your end, can be the very stepping stone from which a new lease of life begins.
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Some of the world’s most iconic real-life heroes faced the worst atrocities.
They endured injustices that most of us would struggle to withstand and yet, they’ve left a lasting impact for generations.
No matter the gravity of your struggles, you are meant to be here.
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What feels insufferable today can become a point of reference tomorrow — as long as you don’t give up.
People may give up on you, even those you once relied on most, but God never will, and neither should you.
Using Joseph’s story as a final example, I’ll explain why I encourage you to keep moving forward.
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Injustice to Authority
Joseph’s story is significant because he was to be sold into slavery by his own brothers.
However, while they deliberated, he was seized from the pit they had placed him in and sold on by others.
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He was 17 at the time, and although he worked with integrity in his master’s house, he was later imprisoned.
Wrongfully accused, his master’s wife had fabricated a story claiming he had behaved indecently towards her.
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Although we can’t be sure of the exact timespan, we know he spent at least two years in prison (likely more), despite his innocence.
Even after all the unjust treatment he endured, especially by those he loved, he was eventually presented with an opportunity.
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He was called upon to interpret a dream Pharoah had, which none of Pharoah’s magicians could interpret.
The significance and impact of Joseph’s interpretation led to his rise, elevating him to Pharoah’s second-in-command at the age of 30.
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Before Joseph reached this position, he had suffered serious adversity first.
He was betrayed repeatedly, wrongfully accused, and unjustly imprisoned — experiences that unfolded over thirteen years of his life.
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How does anyone keep hope alive for so long when faced by such relentless bombardments?
Yet he did.
He never lost faith in the vision or path he knew God had predestined for him.
Despite the trials and tribulations, his moment of glory eventually arrived.
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Your Story, Rewritten
Of course, some people have a more favourable start in life.
Yet the individuals we remember most are often those whose circumstances initially pointed in one dire direction, but who ultimately experienced remarkable change.
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It is my belief that God knew the battles we would face and how we might feel during certain seasons of our lives.
He deliberately provided examples of those who seemed inadequate, unprepared, least known, and most disadvantaged.
Even still, He used them to perform some of the greatest works recorded in the Bible.
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When we go through adversity, it can feel impossible to imagine anything different.
Yet many individuals go on to become heroes in their own stories.
Your situation needn’t define you — it may shape you, but ultimately, you decide who you become.
Suffering is unpleasant by all accounts, but when we refuse to succumb to it, we grow in resilience, greatly benefitting our future.
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Your refusal to give up on life and on yourself could one day become a testament that encourages someone else in your exact position later.
Your story may be the reason someone chooses to hold onto hope.
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Even in the midst of what feels like a mountain of difficulty, just a small amount of faith, hope, and anticipation for something better can make a significant difference.
No matter what you may think of yourself, you have purpose.
You were intentionally created to be here, regardless of your origins or what you have faced.
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Summary
I have no idea of what you’re facing today, but what I do know is this.
You are not meant to give up on yourself, or your life.
The difficulties you’ve faced, and the self-doubt they’ve created, hold no significance to what you can achieve in future regardless of what your present situation may suggest.
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We all reach points in our lives where we doubt ourselves or question our purpose.
The challenges we face, only serve to exacerbate such feelings.
Life adversities can be difficult to overcome, but they are never impossible, because how they affect you is dependant on your mind’s perception.
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You’ve survived this far, and despite our tendency to overlook our strengths in times of suffering, we were created with the capacity not only to endure, but to excel through the most difficult circumstances.
Take a moment to step away from the noise of your situation and reconnect with your core strengths.
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Shift your focus away from the problem, centre it on your capabilities, and stir up your faith through recited scripture and words of affirmation.
What feels like a burden today can become your breakthrough tomorrow — but it requires you to act in faith.
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You matter because God says you do and based on my own life experience, that’s all the affirmation you need to press forward.
Bring the value of your life back into focus, because God has already given you the tools you need.
Discover them, refine them, and use them as you begin to rewrite your story the way it was always meant to be.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Psalm 34:19
