Pressure

There’s a tiny deejay in my head playing random songs whenever he feels like it, or when my memory gets triggered. “Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen has been popping into my head for months now. My husband and I are in a very difficult season filled with so much uncertainty. When Tom is having a bad day because of kidney failure and dialysis, which are most days, my fears confront me and I feel the squeeze of life and bam, “Under Pressure” is on repeat in my mind.

In those overwhelming moments I have a choice to make. Do I cave under the pressure and let it crush me? Or do I rest in God and let Him shape me? Let me tell ya, many times I want to hide and run away, but that’s not a good option. There is only one way out of this, walking right through it. One day at a time, one step at a time. This is a challenge for me. I get impatient, and want God to fix it all now. He is God, and I am not.

Pressure can be a good thing.

Diamonds are formed under intense heat and pressure about one hundred plus miles below the Earth’s surface. It takes high temperatures and high pressure to form diamond crystals from carbon. These diamonds were brought to the surface from volcanic eruptions a long time ago. All this extreme pressure and heat created something so stunningly beautiful and strong.

Every time the pressure is too great for me is an opportunity to go to God. The pressure of suffering is too much for me to handle on my own. If I want relief I must run to my Father. He is faithful to encourage me, strengthen me, and carry me. This extreme pressure is not meant to destroy me, it is meant to change me. God is shaping my faith and my character through the fire of suffering.

I would never ask God to sign me up for suffering. However, if I never dealt with adversity, I would never experience the goodness of God. I would just rely on myself and be a selfish, terrible person. God wants my heart and He is refining it. So I surrender to the pressure, as painful as that is at times. For my God is making me strong and beautiful in Him, like a diamond.

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given to us. Romans 5:3-5, NIV

Are you under intense pressure right now? Is the weight of your problem crushing you? There is hope. God loves you and wants to help you. Cry out to Him. If you have not placed your faith in Jesus Christ, today would be a great day to change that. Do not give up.

Love you all,

Meghan