Do I have what it takes?

Over the past several years, I have been going through an intensely difficult time, complete with business failures, financial hardships, things not working out the way that I thought they should, attacks on my character, self esteem and motives. I have prayed endlessly - pleading with God to make these things go away, to make my life easier. Unfortunately, that has not been in the plans because God is initiating me - preparing me.

John Eldridge writes that the question that every man has is: "Do I have what it takes?" This question isn't just "Do I have what it takes to make enough money that my family can live comfortably," or "Do I have what it takes to be viewed a success in my neighbor's eyes," this question is much deeper - the heart of it is: "When you strip away all my accomplishments, all my possessions, all my abilities, what is left? Am I significant?" That is the question that has been consuming my heart.

I have been viewing these failures, these trials as proof that I don't have what it takes, but then I realized that things are not as they seem. As my heart cried out for significance, God heard and answered. I ask: "Do I have what it takes?" And God has been saying through these trials "Yes, I'll prove it to you."

The heroes in the Bible were taken through an initiation, a wilderness (look at Jesus, Moses, Joseph), through which God prepared them. Through great trials, God prepared them. These difficulties are my wilderness - not a punishment, not a breaking, but proof that the answer to the question "Do I have what it takes," is a reverberating, clear "YES!"