There are times in life when you question why you are where you are. You question why God would put you there if it causes so much stress, or so little results or fill in the blank. I think the answer is clear, but sometimes very hard to accept.

The Lord wants your faith to grow.

In order to be rooted in the Lord and unwavering, our faith has to be put to the test. We cannot have strong faith unless it has been tested. It is in those times...in those places, that we must look to the Lord for peace and wisdom, and we must cast our cares upon him and let them go.

I want to learn to bless the Lord in all circumstances. I want to be refined by the hard times I go through...not knocked down or discouraged.

Lord it is pitiful how much I let hard times get to me. Your Word is supposed to bring life. Your Word is supposed to be an anchor for my soul. So Lord I pray that I and anyone else who struggles with discouragement would trust that you are in control. And that we would allow the hard times to refine us and make us more like you. All glory and honor to you Jesus!