It's not normal if you're not struggling

The struggle is real. This is the phrase that we often say. In studies, in work, in almost most things that we are doing, struggle is always present.

As I think about my own struggles, I realized that it's a lot. Even on simple tasks I struggle. Indeed, everyday is a struggle.

Some of my struggles are getting up from bed, studying my lessons, doing my requirements at school, my responsibilities as a block president, my responsibilities at home, household chores, the struggle within me and my spiritual health, and so many uncertainties that keeps me awake at night.

If I list down all of my struggles, this article wouldn't come to an end. Because in everything that I do, struggling is part of it. And I know, you experience the same too.

I always say that everyday is a battlefield. But let us be reminded that no matter how tough the world is, so are we.

Since what I do is to always think, I can't help it but to think how my life is without struggles.

And to tell you honestly, I can't imagine it. Struggles became part of my life, my everyday life, that its presence became normal already. That I expected all things to come with a struggle.

I don't know if I am making any sense at all with this article. I have already mentioned the word struggle/s and struggling so many times. But my point in here is just, we all struggle, and it's normal.

So how do we deal with it?

Here are some of my personal ways to cope up with my struggles.

• Just keep going.

I posted a question on my noise.cash account just now saying "any thoughts about struggles?" and a user answered that it was so hard that sometimes, you just want to give up.

And yes, it's really true. Struggles are so hard. But as to what it's definition says, to proceed with difficulty. It was hard, but we should proceed. We have to keep going, otherwise we'll fail.

A personal story of mine that I can share is the story of how am I teaching my sister how to ride a bike. I know, I have already mentioned this a lot of time but let me tell this story to you.

I have been teaching her to ride a bike for almost a week already. And until now, she is still struggling. Her struggle came from the very beginning. Me, teaching her was so hard and I know it was also hard on her part. It was frustrating not to be able to learn after countless of tries. But despite multiple failures and a lot of struggles, she is now learning. Bit by bit.

Until now she can't start on her own but through the days, she's gaining a lot of improvements. She just keep on going until the big struggle became a smaller one. And I know that just a little bit more time, she will be able to learn it without all those struggles.

• Never lose hope.

As to what the quote says, we can only live a second without hope. After a second, we cannot survive anymore.

Hope is a desire for a certain thing to happen. The things that we anticipate and we look forward to happen.

Again, let me use my sister as an example on this one. It has been days and she cannot still ride the bike alone. What if in while I am teaching her she just loses her hope? What if she decided to just give up saying that she won't learn it anyway? Then it's all done right? All of our efforts and hardwork will go to waste just because she loses hope. She gave up on the idea that someday she'll learn.

Hope or anticipation is what keeps us motivated. If we have something to look forward to, it is also easy for us to keep going. So it is important that it stays that way. That the desire for that something to happen won't fade away.

• Rely on God.

As I have been a Christian for a long time now, I have learned to rely on God. To trust on God and to let go of the things that I can't control because He is the only one who can do it.

I don't think I can be able to overcome even a single struggle if I am alone. I hold on to John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

There are so many promises in the bible which we can claim in times of struggles. Just ask the Lord in prayer. Seek His word and find His assurance. And with Him, we can overcome it all.

Struggle is a part of our every bits. What I know is that we cannot live a life without struggle. It's not normal if we're not struggling. We live a life that is full of struggles but we are greater than our struggles.

Everyday we fight and we always end the day with victory for I know that we are more than conquerors.

To you who are reading this, may you continue to move forward, no matter what.

=)