Faith for the City | Week 33 — Volume 9: Overcoming Life’s Challenges
Opening Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:8–9 (NIV)
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Life does not always follow the plans we make for it. We prepare, work hard, pray, make sacrifices and hope for the best, yet circumstances sometimes take unexpected turns. A promising business may struggle. A long-awaited opportunity may fail to materialise. A family may face an illness that changes its priorities. A relationship may break down, or the loss of someone dear may leave a void that words cannot adequately describe.
For many people living in Lagos, these difficulties are compounded by the daily struggle to make ends meet. Rising living costs, unstable income, unemployment, traffic congestion, insecurity and the demands of family responsibilities can create an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Sometimes, simply getting through another day requires considerable emotional and spiritual strength.
It is tempting to imagine that a life of faith should be free from such experiences. We may wonder why difficulties persist despite our prayers, or why people who genuinely seek to honour God must endure painful circumstances.
But the Christian faith does not promise a life without challenges. Rather, it assures us that we do not have to confront them alone.
Paul’s words to the Corinthian church offer a remarkable perspective on adversity. He acknowledges the reality of pressure, confusion, persecution and being struck down. Yet he refuses to equate these experiences with defeat. His confidence rests not in the absence of trouble, but in the sustaining power of God.
This distinction is important. Overcoming life’s challenges does not always mean escaping difficult circumstances immediately. Sometimes it means finding the grace to endure, the wisdom to make difficult decisions and the courage to take another step when the way ahead is unclear.
Faith does not exempt us from difficulties
One of the misconceptions about Christian living is that genuine faith should guarantee uninterrupted success and comfort. When difficulties arise, some people begin to question their relationship with God or assume that they have somehow failed spiritually.
Yet Scripture contains numerous accounts of faithful people who experienced extraordinary adversity.
Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery and imprisoned despite his innocence. David faced persecution, rejection and repeated threats to his life. Job experienced devastating personal losses. Even Paul, whose missionary commitment was remarkable, endured imprisonment, beatings, shipwrecks and opposition.
Their experiences remind us that difficulties are not necessarily evidence of divine abandonment.
Jesus Himself told His disciples in John 16:33 that they would have trouble in this world, but they should take heart because He had overcome the world.
This is not an invitation to deny pain or pretend that suffering is insignificant. Rather, it is an assurance that hardship does not have the final word.
A Christian may experience disappointment without losing faith, grief without abandoning hope and uncertainty without surrendering trust in God.
We must therefore resist the temptation to judge our spiritual condition solely by our material circumstances. A difficult season does not automatically mean that God has withdrawn His favour.
Do not allow adversity to define you
There is a difference between experiencing a difficult situation and allowing that situation to become the defining description of our lives.
A person who loses a job is not necessarily a failure. A business that closes does not erase the knowledge and experience acquired by its owner. Someone who experiences a broken relationship is not beyond the possibility of meaningful companionship. A period of financial hardship does not determine a person’s permanent worth.
Yet adversity can distort our self-perception. Repeated disappointments may cause us to lose confidence, withdraw from people and begin to believe that nothing will ever improve.
The challenge is to acknowledge what has happened without surrendering our identity to it.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul describes believers as being hard pressed but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair. His language recognises the seriousness of their circumstances while affirming that their difficulties do not have the power to destroy their hope.
This perspective can help us approach setbacks more constructively.
When a business fails, we may need to review our decisions, acquire new skills or reconsider our business model. When a relationship becomes strained, we may need honest conversations, counselling or, where necessary, appropriate boundaries. When illness disrupts our plans, we may need medical care, emotional support and a renewed understanding of our limitations.
Faith should not make us passive in the face of challenges. It should strengthen our resolve to respond with wisdom, courage and responsibility.
The strength to keep going comes from God
There are moments when human strength appears insufficient. We may have exhausted our savings, explored every available opportunity or sought help from people who are themselves struggling. At such times, even the simplest responsibilities can feel overwhelming.
This is where our dependence on God becomes particularly meaningful.
Isaiah 40:31 declares that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. The passage presents an assurance that our capacity to continue does not depend entirely on our natural abilities.
God’s sustaining grace may not always come in the form of an immediate change in circumstances. Sometimes it comes through renewed courage, unexpected assistance, a timely word of encouragement, the wisdom to make a difficult decision or the ability to face another day with hope.
We should also recognise that God often works through people. A friend who listens without judgement, a church member who provides practical assistance, a professional who offers sound advice or a family member who shares a burden may become instruments of divine encouragement.
There is no shame in asking for help. Seeking medical attention, professional counselling, financial advice or support from trusted people is not a rejection of faith. It can be an expression of wisdom.
The Christian journey is not intended to be lived in isolation. We need God, and we need one another.
Learn to distinguish between what you can change and what you must surrender
One of the greatest sources of frustration during difficult seasons is our attempt to control everything.
We may spend valuable time worrying about decisions already made, opportunities that have passed or circumstances beyond our influence. Such concerns can consume our emotional energy without changing the situation.
Philippians 4:6–7 encourages believers not to be anxious about anything, but to bring their concerns before God through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving. The passage points us towards a different response to uncertainty.
Prayer does not mean abandoning responsibility. Rather, it helps us approach our responsibilities with a clearer mind and a heart that is not overwhelmed by fear.
There are circumstances we can influence through deliberate action. We can improve our skills, seek employment, manage our finances more responsibly, repair relationships where possible and make better decisions.
There are also circumstances we cannot reverse. We cannot always recover lost opportunities, restore what has been destroyed or determine how other people will respond to us.
Wisdom lies in knowing the difference.
We must take responsibility for what is within our control and entrust to God what is beyond it. This is not resignation. It is an acknowledgement of our human limitations and our need for divine wisdom.
Perseverance is built one step at a time
When confronted with a major challenge, we often want an immediate solution. We want the debt cleared, the illness healed, the relationship restored or the opportunity secured without further delay.
But some difficulties require time, patience and sustained effort.
Galatians 6:9 encourages believers not to become weary in doing good, because at the proper time they will reap a harvest if they do not give up.
The principle of perseverance is particularly relevant when progress appears slow. A person rebuilding a business may need to begin with smaller transactions. Someone recovering from a setback may need to establish new routines and rebuild confidence gradually. A family experiencing financial pressure may have to make difficult adjustments before stability returns.
The temptation is to become discouraged because the results are not immediately visible.
Yet meaningful progress is often achieved through small, consistent decisions. We rise, reassess, learn, adjust and continue.
This does not mean persisting blindly with every approach. Sometimes perseverance requires changing direction, seeking advice or accepting that a particular opportunity has ended. The important thing is not to confuse a change of strategy with the abandonment of hope.
To keep going is not always to continue doing the same thing. It is to remain committed to God’s purpose while exercising the wisdom to respond appropriately to changing circumstances.
Your difficult season can deepen your compassion
Challenges can teach us lessons that comfort alone may never reveal. Someone who has experienced unemployment may become more sensitive to those searching for work. A person who has endured bereavement may become more attentive to people experiencing loss. Someone who has struggled financially may develop a deeper appreciation of generosity and practical assistance.
This does not mean that suffering is desirable or that every painful experience must be explained as having a hidden purpose. Some experiences are simply painful, and people need time and support to recover from them.
Nevertheless, hardship can deepen our understanding of human vulnerability and make us more compassionate.
In a city where people often conceal their struggles behind outward appearances, Christians must learn to look beyond what is immediately visible. The person who appears successful may be battling private difficulties. The colleague who seems withdrawn may be dealing with a family crisis. The neighbour who cannot meet an obligation may be facing circumstances we know nothing about.
Our response should not be judgement but compassion.
The church, in particular, must remain a community where people can find encouragement, practical support, prayer and fellowship. We should be careful not to offer simplistic explanations for complex human experiences or make people feel guilty for struggling.
Sometimes, the most meaningful ministry is simply standing beside someone and helping them take the next step.
Hope beyond the present difficulty
Christian hope is not merely optimism or the expectation that everything will eventually happen according to our preferred timetable. It is confidence in the character and promises of God, even when our immediate circumstances remain uncertain.
Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works in all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. This assurance does not suggest that everything that happens is good. Rather, it affirms God’s ability to work even through painful and difficult circumstances.
We may not understand every experience as it unfolds. We may have questions for which answers do not come immediately. But our faith assures us that our lives are not beyond God’s care.
Be assured of this: a difficult chapter is not necessarily the conclusion of your story. What appears to be a dead end may become an opportunity to reconsider your direction. What feels like a season of weakness may teach you to depend more deeply on God. What seems impossible today may be approached differently with time, support and wisdom.
The invitation is to keep trusting, keep learning and keep taking responsible steps forward.
Closing reflection
What challenge are you facing today? Has disappointment weakened your confidence? Have financial pressures, illness, strained relationships or uncertainty made it difficult to see a way forward?
Remember that being pressed does not mean being crushed, and being struck down does not mean being destroyed.
Do not deny your pain, but do not surrender your hope. Seek God’s wisdom, accept appropriate help, take responsibility for what you can change and trust Him with what lies beyond your control.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You because Your grace is sufficient for us in every season of life. When challenges overwhelm me, strengthen my heart and renew my hope. Give me wisdom to make the right decisions, courage to face difficult circumstances and humility to seek help when I need it. Teach me to persevere without losing faith and to show compassion to others who are struggling. Whatever I face, help me remember that I am not abandoned and that my circumstances do not have the final word. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
- Faith for the City is a weekly exploration of Rev. Dr Kayode Ilupeju’s 12-volume Sermon Notes Series. Week 33 draws on Volume 9, Overcoming Life’s Challenges.
