Barbra Gentry-Pugh

“Lessons From Challenges: A Foundation for 2025”

January 5, 2025

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 NLT

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NIV)

Have you ever wanted to go in a certain direction, pursue a specific goal, or follow your own plans, only for God to intervene and say, “STOP—I want you to go this way instead”? Well, I must confess—that’s exactly what happened to me this week. I was fully prepared to dive into writing about the various types of hearts, a topic I’ve been studying and collecting insights on for over ten years. After last week’s devotional on ‘The Changed Heart,’ I thought it was the perfect segue to explore the power of God in transforming willing vessels for His service and glory.

Typically, God places a specific topic on my heart during the week for the devotional, but sometimes it isn’t fully confirmed until Sunday. This week was no different, and I’ve learned the wisdom of obeying His direction. Instead of continuing with my planned series, God led me to pause and reflect on the challenges of 2024. He impressed upon my heart the importance of examining the lessons learned and how they can shape me into a better vessel and servant for His glory.

Now that God has blessed us to cross the threshold into 2025, we have a unique opportunity to look back at the challenges of 2024 – not as stumbling blocks but as stepping stones. Take a moment to reflect: What challenges did you face in 2024, and how did you see God’s hand at work in them? What lessons has He been teaching you, and are you carrying those lessons into 2025? How has God used your trials to help you grow spiritually, emotionally, or relationally? These reflections can guide us as we step into the new year with faith and purpose.

Life is a classroom, and we can acknowledge the struggles of the past year and how God has used them to teach, grow, or refine us. Each trial we faced was an opportunity for God to strengthen our endurance, teaching us to rely on Him more fully. He never promised us a rose garden, but He did promise us He would be with us. James 1:2-4 reminds us, “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.”

Each trial we face in the classroom of life is to teach us to rely on God more fully. The lessons we learn are sometimes the result of God’s Sovereignty in our suffering. There is always purpose in our pain that God allows in our lives. Alan Redpath, a well-known British Evangelist and Pastor, beautifully captures the sovereignty of God in our trials. He says: There is nothing, no circumstance, no trouble, no testing that can touch me, until first it has gone through God the Father, past Jesus Christ, right through to me. If it has come that far, it has come with a great purpose which I may not understand at the moment. But as I refuse to panic as I lift up my eyes to Him and accept it as coming from the Throne of God for some great purpose or blessing to my own Heart. It may pierce me, hurt me, or make me cry – but no sorrow will ever overcome me, no trial will ever disarm me, and no circumstance will cause me to doubt the goodness of God, for I shall rest in the Joy of who my Lord is.

This truth encourages us to rest in God’s wisdom. Even when trials pierce our hearts, we can trust that they carry a purpose, whether for our growth or to prepare us to glorify Him.”

Not all challenges, trials or suffering are from Satan; some are allowed by God to do His perfect work in our lives and to prepare us for a greater purpose or ministry – His service and His glory as noted in Job 23:10 “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” We also learn that God’s ways are higher than ours, as noted in Isaiah 55:8-9 which says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Trials prepare us often equipping us to comfort others noted in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” We may not welcome it; however, it is clear that there is purpose in the pain that God allows in our lives that can be a platform for God’s glory. However, this is not the pain resulting from our unwise or foolish decisions that we often make in lives that God had nothing to do with it.

In fact, what have you brought into 2025 that perhaps you needed to leave in 2024? Is it shame, anger, or guilt? Is it ruminating over the past and allowing unforgiveness to rule your heart? Has Satan fooled you into thinking you have more power over your life than you do? Are you hostile because God allowed you to go through a painful season, and you refuse to surrender to His will and way for your life? How have you allowed God to help you grow spiritually, emotionally, or relationally last year, causing you to be more loving and representing HIM better? Take a moment to consider how God has worked in your heart, mind, and relationships. Did you allow HIM to teach you more patience in your difficult season or give you the courage to overcome your fear(s)?

God Has Several Long-Term and Short-Term Lessons For You Right Now. Are You Doing Your Homework?

Lessons Learned About Our Relationship with God!

Lessons About Our Dependence on God. Challenges remind us that we cannot rely solely on our own strength. Proverbs 3:5:^“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.”
Lessons About God’s Faithfulness. Hardships reveal that God is always present, even when we don’t feel Him. We learn to trust His timing and ways, knowing that He works all things for good. Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Lessons We Learn About Ourselves ~ Resilience and Endurance. We learn to press on, knowing that every struggle builds character and strengthens our faith. Trials produce perseverance and maturity James 1:2-4. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
Lessons of Our Weakness, and His Strength. We grow when we surrender our struggles to Him. Difficult seasons reveal our limitations but also highlight God’s power to work through our weaknesses 2 Corinthians 12:9. ^“The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.”
Lessons We Learned About The Need For Humility. Challenges can strip us of pride, teaching us to submit to God’s will and depend on His wisdom 1 Peter 5:6-7. “So, humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.”

There is a great difference between the person who learns from criticism and the person who refuses to accept correction. How we respond to criticism determines whether or not we grow in wisdom.

HEART CHALLENGE: Trusting God in uncertainty teaches us to lean into His plans rather than our own understanding. We must:

♥ Depend on God In Every Area of My Life: 2024 reminds us that we cannot navigate this life on our own. Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

♥ Perseverance and Growth: Trials may not feel joyful in the moment, but they produce endurance. God uses perseverance to mature and strengthen us for what lies ahead. 2 Peter 1:5-7 says, But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

♥ Empathy and Compassion: Facing challenges often opens our hearts to others who are struggling. Through our experiences, God equips us to comfort and encourage others. Colossians 3:12, “ Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

A CHALLENGED HEART: We are now in the year 2025. What have experienced the lessons of 2024 positioning us for greater growth and faith. As we move forward, we don’t do so alone. God is with us, shaping us and preparing us for what He has in store. Let’s carry the wisdom we’ve gained and continue to press into Him with a heart full of trust.

Don’t allow your present situation to create an atmosphere for you to forget where you came from and God’s move in your life!

PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word. Thank you for walking with us through the challenges of 2024. Help us to carry the lessons You’ve taught us into 2025, trusting in Your faithfulness and surrendering to Your will. Shape us into vessels for Your glory, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord, Amen.