So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done." (Matthew 21:21 NKJV)

Let's call them mountains. I'm talking about the challenges, difficulties, and trials of life that we all face. How do we handle them? One of the ways to handle them is to trust that God will remove them. For reasons that only God knows, that doesn't always happen.

A great example of a personal mountain that didn't move can be seen in the life of the apostle Paul. Paul explains it this way:

"And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

With the Lord's help we can learn to deal with them!

Joyce Meyer, in her book Approval Addiction, says some really good things about this subject. She says, "There are too many people praying for mountains of difficulty to be removed, when what they really need to be praying, is for the courage to climb them. Running from hard things is one of our biggest problems."

None of us likes stress and problems, but with the Lord's help we can learn to deal with them and become stronger. We can trust that He will be with us every step of the way. Jesus promised us that if we are about His will, "I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) He may not remove our trial, but He will go "through" it with us.

The next time you face a mountain, pray that it will be removed. If it doesn't happen, believe that He will give you the strength to climb it and come out on the other side.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time by Stephen Arterburn, et. al. In this compassionate brother-to-brother guide, the authors tackle sexual temptation head-on, offering a practical battle plan for men--married or single--who desire to live by God's standard.

Mike is a pastor and writer for a number of online publications.

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