I was feeling the pressure yesterday. I had a full day and needed to get everything on my “to do” list done. At the end of my work day, there was still one pesky item to do before I could cross it off my list. But there was one step that needed to be done before I could do so.

So I waited. I went to Bible study with my fabulous group of ladies. I went to the “first concert” of a dear friend and her husband. I laughed. I cried. I reconnected with old friends. And then I walked in the door at home around 9:15 pm, knowing I had to finish this one task.

At my computer, I sent the email with important information to a pretty large group of people at church. There. It was finished. I could cross the item off my list.

And then, I got a text message. There was a mistake in the email. The date was wrong. My heart plummeted. Yes, there was more work to be done, but the pressure of getting this task complete led to a mistake. I don’t like to make mistakes.

I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Sometimes in our lives, we are put under pressure. When it happens, we can struggle with everything we need to accomplish. All of our joy can be squeezed from us. Our patience is stretched to the limit. And we sometimes make some pretty big mistakes.

But let me assure you that God’s power is stronger than any pressure we might feel from the struggles we encounter.

2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Our lives are represented by the jars of clay. They are fragile, easily chipped and some might say breakable.

But through the power, the all-surpassing power of God and His Gospel, we can withstand the pressures we undergo. And we can become better because of the pressure.

Pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and stuck down are what we can expect to encounter. But, we have the Treasure. We can counter these encounters with the ability not to be crushed, not be in despair, not feel abandoned and not be destroyed.

With these words of encouragement, we can face the difficult struggles of this world with confidence and power. We can survive and be useful in God’s Kingdom because of what we have become through the pressure.

I re-sent the email last night with the corrected date. Today, I will have to face a group of people and admit my failure. The pressure will continue…and I still have to talk to my boss about it. But I also know that regardless of what today brings, I will not wind up in a trash heap because of the pressure.

I’m thankful that making it through the pressures of this life is worth it all. I’m thankful for the all-surpassing power within me to do so. Bring on the pressure…with God, I can handle it.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna