As we have moved from 2020 to 2021, we have realized in the first week of the new year, merely turning the page on the calendar does not guarantee that last year's obstacles will not be a part of the present year. We have sadly learned that many of the issues we faced in 2020 are with us in 2021. The reality is that the Bible tells us that, "In the world, you will have tribulation and each day has enough trouble for itself."
Obstacles Still Remain
We faced obstacles in 2020, and we have obstacles to face in 2021. As long as the Lord tarries, we will also face obstacles in the next year and beyond. Obstacles are a fact of life, and this does not change when one becomes a Christian. In fact, as Christians, we can count on obstacles as we try to live our lives in obedience to Christ because our enemy, the devil, will try to oppose us every step along the way.
An obstacle is anything that stands in our way of accomplishing God's purposes, both for us, in us, and through us. Obstacles can be personal, originating from within us, or external, originating from the world and people around us. There are also spiritual obstacles, and in fact, there is a spiritual component to all obstacles. Whenever we face obstacles or any difficult situation or circumstance, it is important to make sure we see that situation through God's eyes, as expressed through Scripture. We need to remember that what is huge to us is no problem for God. We must remember that "God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or think," and that "nothing is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The truth is this: obstacles are an unavoidable reality in life, but God is bigger than any and every obstacle so that in Him, we are "more than conquerors."
God Makes a Way
God will help us to overcome obstacles in three main ways. First, He is able to simply remove obstacles. It is not hard for Him to make them go away. He made the walls of Jericho fall down, and He can do the same for us in our struggles. Sometimes, however, God does not remove the obstacle from our path, but He shows us a way around the obstacle, just as He showed the Magi that they should avoid Herod and go back from seeing the baby Jesus a different way than they had come. Finally, God will often use obstacles in our lives for His purposes, as a stepping stone for us and a benefit to us and others. This is how God refined Joseph's character and positioned him to save his family, all of Egypt, and many others from 7 years of famine.
Overcoming Obstacles
When facing any obstacle, remember that God is bigger than the obstacle you face, and take your need to Him in prayer. God's Word says that we should not worry about anything but rather pray about everything. When we worry, we are focusing on the problem. When we pray, we focus on God, who is always the source of the solution we need. Obstacles are a present reality, but so is our God, and He can make us overcomers!
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