You Are the Way You Are for a Reason

Are you struggling with some life controlling issue, failure, illness, disability,  sin or a sin committed against you? Have you tried to overcome and seem to fall into the same rut? Have you had prayer for your situation and still do not see any improvement? Are you frustrated or even angry with God?

If you answered YES! to any of the above then I hope this post will give you encouragement and the Holy Spirit will comfort you as you read it. What I am going to share will at first seem so crazy that you will not want to accept it. All I ask is for you to consider what I share and let God speak to you about it.

We are told in the following two scriptures that God knew us before we were even born. From these scriptures I believe it would points out that God knew what we would face in our lives and He knew where we would be in our journey at this very moment. He even knew that you would read this post today.

Isaiah 44:2a I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born.

Psalm 139: 16 but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed. Even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.

So if God knew you would be struggling with whatever issue you have He must have a purpose for allowing it to be in your life. I believe that the reason for where you are right now can be found in following poem by Russell Kelfer:

You are who you are for a reason. You're part of an intricate plan. You're a precious and perfect unique design, Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason. Our God made no mistake. He knit you together within the womb, You're just what he wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones he chose, And no matter how you may feel, They were custom-designed with God's plan in mind, And they bear the Master's seal.

No, that trauma you faced was not easy. And God wept that it hurt you so; But it was allowed to shape your heart So that into his likeness you'd grow.

You are who you are for a reason, You've been formed by the Master's rod. You are who you are, beloved, Because there is a God!

If you have been hurt by others then God has a reason for allowing it to happen. You understand more than one who has not been hurt by others how it makes you feel. It is you who can be the instrument of God's peace to another who has been hurt.

If you are struggling with lust or tend to view pornography God allowed it to happen. You understand more than one who has never had that struggle what it is like to deal with it daily. It is you who can be the instrument to a man or woman struggling with lust or porn.

You see God allows stuff to happen to us so that when we accept Him as our savior He can use us to touch the lives of other people who are struggling with the very thing we had to struggle with.

As crazy as it sounds we need to rejoice in the struggles we have had because they help us to be better able to bring glory to our Creator as we help those who are struggling around us.

James 1:2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

This post was inspired by Rick Warren's book, "Purpose Driven Life".

So what do you do now?

1. Admit your situation and share it with someone you trust.

2. Continue to pray and get prayer for it.

3. Use what you have learned to help others.

4. Make yourself available for service.

5. Rejoice and Do Not Give UP!