The grill of my car pressed itself into my leg as I leaned over the open engine bay and strained to keep from completely flopping on the engine. With one arm wrapped around a pipe coming from the air filter I struggled against the plastic clip imbedded in the metal frame of my car that held the wires I was replacing. My legs ached from the holding the odd angle. My dad stood to the side watching and I wished he would step in so I wouldn’t have to struggle anymore.

But he didn’t. “You got this.” he said.

“It won’t come out.” I told him.

“Try prying with this screwdriver,” he said, handing one to me.

The screwdriver helped, and after a few more pries and angle tries, the obstinate plastic broke off. Suddenly the frustrated feeling melted away as I was filled with pride that I had done it on my own.

Could my dad have easily taken over? Yes. But he let me struggle.

My dad is always preparing me for life. He lets me struggle sometimes, but always stays close by to encourage me and offer wisdom. When he teaches me how to do things like fix my car, he becomes part of me. And I become more like him. If I ever come across that problem and he’s not physically there, he still exists in the knowledge that is now apart of me.

There are things that God lets us struggle on too. (For example, forgiveness.) While we may feel abandoned by God, he’s always nearby to offer encouragement and wisdom. In the process of struggling he becomes apart of us and we became like him. And the result is that he is there wherever we go.

So lean into the struggle, whatever yours is, as the refining process of becoming more like God and know that he is standing right next to you.

Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

- Pastor Kristen