Share your struggles with Him

‘Time in the Word’ By Clayton Adams

Everyone has struggles.

What is your struggle?

Serving as a pastor, I interacted with people who had very real physical, emotional, mental and relational health issues.

As a teacher, I often felt very inadequate to serve my students as many had personal problems, they couldn’t help but bring into the classroom. In my role as a medical assistant, I meet people with serious medical issues — some I pray for, others, I only have time to be kind to.

According to multiple sources, there is an epidemic of opioid abuse in America. Upwards of 10 percent of the population abuse prescription medications. 64,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2016 – that is 175 people per day! More than 40 percent of all marriages end in divorce. In 2015, 48 percent of live births were to unwed parents. One in three girls, and as many as one in four boys, are sexually abused before age 18. More than 30 million people suffer from eating disorders. America has many severe struggles.

Despite our technology and everyone having a phone, more than 50 percent of Americans are feeling alone and lonely. The person sitting next to you, in church, work, school is or has dealt with loneliness. There is an epidemic of loneliness in America.

What are we to do?

Struggles is one of the common threads weaving through all humanity.

Across all people groups, rich or poor, whatever hue of color, regardless of education or economics, everyone struggles. It is one of the threads that bind us together.

Everyone wants a “cure” but what is the cause of our struggles? Some say if we fix our environmental influence’s or edit genetics by selecting only the “good” traits some struggles can be solved. Some say the cause lay somewhere between our nature and nurturing. Still others will speak about our educational deficits (America spends more and more money on education every year and still we are falling behind many other countries). But is there another reason?

Yes, there is.

What will not be spoken about, reviewed, researched, or publicly debated, perhaps due to its unpopularity, is the subject of sin. Sin is another common thread we share throughout humanity. Perhaps, if psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, advisers, religious leaders and government leaders would explore this human malady, they would learn the simple truth. Sin produces struggles. I have firsthand knowledge, I bet you do too.

Sin started with Adam and Eve. Adam would have fit well into our culture for he blamed God for his sin. Adam said that it was God’s fault because He gave Eve to him. Eve blamed Satan (Genesis 3) and this is when the blame game started. Blame who we want, who is convenient, circumstances or whatever, but sin is a choice. I’ve made bad choices, have you?

God’s Word gives us all we need to stand and face and overcome our struggles (Ephesians 6:10-18) . “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). One can grow in the “grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Are you a Christian – that is to say, are you following Jesus? Know who you are, “…you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Your struggles are real, sometimes self-induced and sometimes not. Regardless of how your struggle started, how is it going to end? How do you want it to end?

Jesus says to you, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). What will be your decision?

Clayton Adams has a message of faith he would like to share with the community. He would also like to hear from you. E-mail him at claytonpadamslll@ gmail.com.