“God has plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”
This is true — but let’s not get it twisted. The Lord will bless you, but He doesn’t bless your life in the way many think. He blesses your hands, your mind, and your heart. He is the Almighty, able to manifest anything into reality, but He will not do everything for you so that you grow lazy. He’s not here to spoil you into stagnation.
The path to seeking the Lord isn’t easy, and it’s not meant to be. Hardships are what shape your story. Look back on your life — the very things you’ve overcome are what make your life worth living. I’ve escaped drowning twice and been strangled nearly to death, but it’s those moments that give me a reason to live deeply and intentionally.
Don’t get me wrong, joy and peace also keep me going. Family fuels me in ways I can’t describe. For you, it might be friends or even hobbies like gaming. But we must understand: an easy life isn’t a meaningful life. Ask self-made millionaires and billionaires — they’ll all tell you their lowest points were the ones that built them into who they are today.
The Lord provides comfort in your darkest hour — a light in your tunnel (not always literally), a friend when you’re in tears, and strength when you’re depleted. He knows every tear you shed, every ache in your soul. But He won’t spoil you until you rot. That wouldn’t be love. Facing life’s harshness and still rising — that is where His glory shines through you.
Today’s message often says that Jesus will instantly free you from addiction, pain, or depression the moment you accept Him. He’s made out to be an antidote to all things. While there’s truth in this, it’s not the whole truth. God will heal and deliver you, but trials will still await. Why? Because if every consequence disappeared in a blink, would you truly change? Wouldn’t you just return to the same old ways, knowing God would clean it up again?
So why seek an easy life, when you could live a life worth living? A life that challenges you — yet you rise and declare, “No. God is the strength I need to conquer this. I need nothing but His grace.” We all face suffering, but we choose whether we let it break us or grow us.
Here’s a challenge: go ask people around you if they’re going through something hard right now. I guarantee that most are — emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or otherwise. Yet today’s society has painted God as a vending machine for ease and instant solutions.
God will help you. He’ll bless the work of your hands. And He’ll respect your free will — even if you choose to reject His unconditional love.
So when you walk with Christ, expect change. Expect trials. But also expect transformation. Because the trials don’t destroy you — they reveal who you’re becoming in God’s eyes, not the world’s.