Every story worth telling begins with an “inciting incident” … something that upsets the balance in a person’s life and drives them forward in an unpredictable and sometimes scary direction. As they react to the incident—trying to restore balance and regain control—their lives are forever altered. Their decisions and subsequent actions either help or hinder their development as human beings. Change, for better or worse, is inevitable because they can’t go back to where they once were.

The next stage that follows in every story is a series of “progressive complications” that become more and more challenging, requiring the person to draw on more and more inner strength to get through them.

This is the part of a story where I start to rebel inwardly. If I care about the person whose story is being told, I want to shield them from the ever-increasing difficulties that are being thrown at them. Because I’m a peacemaker at heart, I want everyone to just get along and resolve their problems in a congenial manner. It seems like such a waste of time and energy to face problem after problem when things in life could (theoretically) progress smoothly and easily.

But as every writer knows, these “progressive complications” are what keeps the reader’s attention and moves the story along. Without them we would soon lose interest. Each new complication brings with it the need for greater risk on the part of the protagonist. Sure, he or she may fail … but they may also experience greater gain. Character is built when people must face up to and resolve challenges they’ve never encountered before. The status quo may be comfortable, but it doesn’t produce growth.

Out of misguided sympathy I want to “save” everyone (including myself) from having to face trials and tests, but Jesus knew the reality of human life: “In this world you will have trouble.” Everyone will have it—sinners and saints alike. But for the Christian who follows Jesus, we are bolstered by what He says next: “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). 

Not only will He support us in our struggles, but He will use them to grow us up in Him. All the New Testament writers mentioned this and told their readers to welcome the painful, inconvenient, and frustrating times that were sure to come, seeing them as opportunities to become more like Jesus. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Paul adds, “Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Therefore we do not lose heart” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).

Without the progressive complications, any story (including ours) will quit moving forward. We’ll stagnate and quit growing. We’ll never discover all we are capable of doing (and becoming) when we rely on God’s strength and power working through us. And we’ll never reach the more satisfying stages that complete any story … the “crisis,” “climax,” and “resolution.”

I know for myself, it’s hard to count it joy when I’m going through a difficult and challenging time, whether it’s some interpersonal conflict with someone else, a lingering illness, a situation I find especially stretching, or a loss I’m not sure I can endure.

I’ve just come through three weeks of battling the Covid virus, and in the middle of it, I didn’t feel very hopeful or grateful for the “opportunity” to learn once again how faithful the Lord is. But even if it’s extremely difficult, Scripture teaches me that I can offer “a sacrifice of praise” … a faith-filled prayer of thanksgiving that acknowledges that the One who is writing my story—building in all the conflicts and challenges that will help me grow—will always be merciful and compassionate, giving to me what I need to endure the test and emerge better for it.

As Hebrews 12 reminds us, we must keep our eyes on Jesus as we “run with perseverance the race marked out for us” (v. 1). He is the author and finisher of our faith story. He promises to complete the good work He began in us if we don’t quit in the middle of our “progressive complications.” It’s helpful to remember that He’s not asking us to do what He has not done himself. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (v. 3).

The walk of faith is hard won. As it says in Acts 14:22, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” It requires us to submit to God’s ways and trust He knows best what will make us spiritually strong. We must face circumstances that we are sure we can’t get through. But over time we discover what the apostle Paul knew: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

What’s the “all this” he’s referring to? Paul battled through innumerable conflicts, oppositions, persecutions, and hardships so he could take the Gospel to the Gentiles. We have been blessed by his willingness to risk and trust God amid his ongoing, progressively difficult circumstances. Will we follow his example, or shrink back from anything we find disagreeable or uncomfortable?

No matter where we are in our story line, we all began our journey with God in a similar way. Some inciting incident drove us to the cross, where we sought forgiveness for our sins and asked God to take control of our lives. Then, as we began to follow Jesus, we realized with ever increasing intensity that we did not have what it takes to become godly. We had to rely on the Holy Spirit to supply what we needed to overcome the progressive complications that kept coming. We looked for magic formulas to shortcut the process; we looked to Bible teachers, who we hoped would show us an easier way to obedience; we fumed and complained to God and wondered why He didn’t deliver us from all our troubles. But as we persevered, we began to see what He was doing. He was using our circumstances to reshape us and rebuild our inner character. And while we didn’t like it any better, we began to understand how necessary it was to undergo this process, if we wanted to have a faith story worth telling … a story that would inspire others to not give up.

In her book 40 Days of Decrease, Alicia Britt Chole writes, “Resist tidying up when you are in the muddy middle of the process of obedience-in-the-making. Name the trouble. Like Jesus, talk to yourself and your Father God. Ask Him if alternative routes exist again and again and again … until you push through resistance, pass around resentment, press past resignation, and emerge into willful (even if tearful) partnership with God.”

Today, let’s resubmit ourselves to our Father’s will and trust that He knows what He’s doing as He writes our unique story of redemption. One day we’ll move beyond “all this” and receive the crown of life. As Peter reminds us, we have in Christ “an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials” (1 Peter 1:4-6). When we receive our inheritance, we will enjoy His fellowship for eternity and hear Him say to us, “well done, good and faithful servant.” Won’t that be music to our ears?

Heavenly Father, thank you for calling us into this life of faith and equipping us for all the struggles we would face in becoming more like our Lord Jesus Christ. Would you fill us with your Spirit today, so we can rejoice in our trials and find strength in knowing you are with us? We are privileged to be called to such a high and holy calling. Remind us that all we undergo as you write our story will be worth it … not just for us but for those who will read our story. Make us your ambassadors of hope. We look to you for all we need to keep moving forward. Mature us in our faith and be glorified by our lives! Amen.