The storm you are in right now is not a sign that God has abandoned you, but the very place where His strength is made perfect. You feel overwhelmed, pressed down, as if the waves will swallow you, yet consider that the apostle Paul begged the Lord three times to remove his thorn and was told, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” When Paul heard this, he did not grumble; he welcomed his afflictions, even boasting in them, because he knew that when he was weak, then he was truly strong. Your new job, your sense of pressure, your cry for strength, this is your weakness. And here, hidden beneath the weight, is an invitation to experience the power of Christ resting on you.
You say you submit yourself to God’s will and believe you are here for a reason. Hold fast to that! But do not imagine that submission means only a quiet, pleasant path. Often God’s will leads us into contests that test every fiber of our souls, not to crush us, but to exercise us, to make us sober, alert, and reliant on Him alone. The body grows sick from ease and luxury; the soul sickens when all goes smoothly. These trials are the discipline of a loving Father, trimming away what is excessive so that what is necessary may flourish. The pressure you feel is not your enemy, unless you let it drive you to despair or anger or murmuring. In that case, you would be overcome by evil. Instead, overcome that evil with good, the good of patient endurance, of thanksgiving, of trusting that the Lord knows the hour of delivery far better than you do.
Do not seek to escape the battle before you have even engaged it. You pray for strength, and heaven answers by giving you opportunities to be strong. The soldier is trained on the field, not in the armory. And what a noble combat this is! To hold fast when the mind reels, to keep peace when the heart pounds, to perform your duties faithfully when every part of you cries out for relief, this is to erect a trophy without lifting a weapon, to conquer by standing still and leaning on the grace of God. The day will turn around, not necessarily by becoming easier, but by you becoming more than a conqueror through Him who loves you. And remember, the victory that seems like defeat is often the truest one. The one who rages and vents may appear strong, but the one who bears in silence and does not retaliate against the troubles sent by God, or against anyone who adds to them, has mastered not only the circumstance but his own passions, and that is a far greater triumph.
So lift up your head. You are not alone in the furnace. The same Lord who walked on the stormy sea walks with you now. Only do not let the waves draw your eyes away from Him. When the day is heaviest, say inwardly, “I take pleasure in this hardship, for it is training my soul to let go of the world and cling to Christ.” You came into this life naked, and you will leave it naked; the job, the reputation, the comfort you crave, these are passing shadows. What remains is the gold of a character refined by fire. Give thanks, then, both for the comfort you hope for and for the pressure you now feel. For in this very pressure, He is working something eternal.