Ready to Come Up?

Good morning My Ekklesia Family

I heard someone say... “You gotta struggle before you come up. It teaches you a place you never wanna return to.”

“So after you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support, and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.”

— 1 Peter 5:10 (NLT)

A butterfly cannot fly until it struggles out of the cocoon. If someone tries to cut the cocoon open, the butterfly’s wings will never be strong enough to carry it. The struggle is necessary—it gives strength for the flight.

Peter tells us suffering is never the end. It’s the proving ground where faith is refined, pride is stripped away, and dependence on God is deepened. The “little while” of struggle produces lasting strength, stability, and restoration. Without the pain of the pit, Joseph could never appreciate the palace. Without the wilderness, Israel could never treasure the Promised Land.

Struggle is the classroom where God teaches us lessons we don’t forget. It imprints a holy determination: “I never wanna go back there again.”

1. Struggle strengthens you – Hardship produces resilience and endurance.

2. Struggle teaches you – It shapes wisdom, humility, and compassion for others.

3. Struggle positions you – God uses the pain to prepare you for higher purpose.

Father, thank You for the seasons of struggle that have shaped my soul. Even when it hurt, You were building me. I surrender my pain to You and receive the promise of restoration. Strengthen me to never go back to the place You delivered me from, but to rise higher in faith, hope, and purpose. in Jesus name amen

If you’re in a struggle right now, know this: it is not forever. God will bring you out. He will restore and establish you. Trust Christ today, and let Him turn your pain into purpose. Join us at Ekklesia, where we walk together through struggle to strength.

LoveUmorethanUknow,

Stephän Kirby, Pastor, Ekklesia