For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
— 2 Corinthians 4:16–18
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
— 1 Peter 5:10
What you believe is everything. Look back at the most challenging moments of your life up to now. How did you get out of them? What happened that led to their resolution? The bigger question is this: how are you now compared to how you were then?
The difference between people who are better off now than they were then is a matter of faith. You see, while you may not get to choose your trials, you do get to choose what you believe about them.
You can believe everything is meaningless, and your suffering will never end. You can believe that you are broken beyond repair because of all the things that have happened to you. If you believe that, then you are right. They defeat you, you will never recover, and your brokenness is beyond repair. Your life and attitude will confirm that.
Or, you can believe something different.
You can believe those momentary troubles are creating in you an eternal glory that is far more significant than the suffering ever was. You can believe God is restoring you, that God is making you strong, and that you are steadfast. You can believe those things even when you are in the middle of your struggles and you can’t see how this will work out. And if you believe that, then that will be your experience all those things.
What you believe about your suffering makes all the difference in the world because what you believe affects how you see and experience the world around you. Faith is not an endurance exercise. Faith is creating your world.
So I urge you not to base your faith on your own brokenness and experience because it will only help you live that way. Please look to God. Choose to believe his truth and his words, even if it goes beyond what you have experienced because, even in your suffering, it will create in you an eternal glory that far outweighs anything you have ever known.