CHARISSA CHEONG writes about the importance of knowing God is with us as we face our everyday battles…
London, UK
PICTURE: spukkato/iStockphoto
“He trains my hands for battle; He strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me Your shield of victory. Your right arm supports me; Your help has made me great.” – Psalm 18:34-35 (NLT)
I started my very first full-time job this month. After 15 years in education, I was blessed enough to jump straight into the professional world, full of possibilities and opportunities for a young person like me.
Yet, amongst all the excitement that came with the job – a new laptop, new people, and a new workspace – I also found myself facing a huge number of difficulties and anxieties I had never faced before.
“We can have peace in difficult situations because God uses them to train us. He uses every challenge and mistake as part of a learning experience. So even when we get things wrong, we can acknowledge that God is using that to help us change and grow.”
No matter how much I wanted to focus on the good things, I couldn’t help but feel I was under a new level of pressure to perform and prove myself. Every time I ran into a challenge or made even a small mistake, I became frustrated and overwhelmed by negative thoughts about not being good enough. As a recent graduate in a professional environment, it’s easy to feel inadequate and underqualified.
Matters were made worse by the fact that, due to the pandemic, the job is semi-remote, so I found myself working from home a lot. Without the buzzing environment of office life, I was often left alone with my thoughts and doubts as they bubbled up and threatened to steal my excitement.
Despite these anxieties, God has constantly reminded me that He is by my side. The more I’ve acknowledged His presence in my life through prayer, the more I’ve felt these worries shrink as He replaces them with peace.
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Psalm 18 was written by King David in the lead-up to his ascension to the throne. He was also appointed to take up a difficult job at a very young age. I imagine he also felt underqualified and afraid as a shepherd boy who was supposed to be a king.
In this verse, David recognised that it was God who made Him great, not his own efforts or achievements. Likewise, as we progress through the life God has planned for us, He equips us with everything we need to succeed in the roles He has placed us in.
We can have peace in difficult situations because God uses them to train us. He uses every challenge and mistake as part of a learning experience. So even when we get things wrong, we can acknowledge that God is using that to help us change and grow.
He has big plans for us, and those plans sometimes involve trials that will prepare us for what He has called us to do.
In every tough circumstance, our Heavenly Father promises to be close to us. His mighty right hand supports us. Though I felt alone as I was working on my laptop in my room, God was holding me, propping me up when I felt weak and insufficient.
If you’re someone who’s also recently started a new job or are experiencing a difficult situation of a different nature, be encouraged that God is close at hand. He is with us in our everyday battles. He will strengthen you to be able to face these challenges, and He has the capacity and the ability to make you great at an impossible task. Rely on Him today.
