When I was young, my parents would read to us “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” by Michael Rosen. Now it’s a favorite book of my youngest daughter, and we spend many nights reading it together. In this classic story, a family decides to have an adventure: a quest to catch a bear. Along the way, they encounter all sorts of dilemmas. Long, wavy grass and a deep cold river along with thick, oozy mud are just a few of the challenges they face. Each time they hope to go over or under their obstacles, and each time the only way to move forward is to go through it.

I am not a fan of going through it. I work well with goals and I appreciate efficiency. For some time now, I have been aware that this is how I operate in a ministry setting. When used in partnership with the Holy Spirit, it’s an impactful gift. The issue came when I began to operate this way in other areas of my life. This wouldn’t be a problem except that I had subconsciously began to partner less with the Spirit and instead used this gift to try to exert control. Where this was most prevalent, and ironically where I was most oblivious, was in my own spiritual journey.

Scripture tells us that we will encounter trials, temptation, and suffering. Frequently the New Testament uses the same Greek word for all of these experiences. My natural inclination, and I believe the inclination of many of us, is to rush through it. Let’s figure it out, solve the problem, and move on! While this might be efficient in getting to the solution we have designed, it is not the most helpful in our spiritual growth. In James 1, we are told to consider trials as “pure joy.” This does not sound like the language of someone trying to get over an uncomfortable situation. Rather, the language used here encourages us to find joy in and through the trial. The reason being that we grow not because we made it to the goal, but because we went through the experience.

I have found myself over the last several months increasingly aware of how often I pray for the solution. I pray to be over it, under it, or just on the other side of it already. While this is certainly not a wrong thing to pray, I have been encouraged to slow down and instead pray through it. Invite God into whatever frustration or angst or suffering I am dealing with. To not rush it, but instead to ask God what He might be trying to show me. This is especially true of spiritual growth. We cannot rush spiritual growth. We cannot leap ahead. It takes time, patience, and partnership with the Holy Spirit. We would not expect a child to turn into a 30-year-old overnight. So why do we take on the burden of expecting such sudden spiritual growth? Rushing might be quicker, but true growth only comes by taking the time in growing through it.

Engage

• What’s a frustration or trial you’re currently facing? Take it to the Lord not to solve, but simply to discuss how you are feeling.
• Ask God to show where He might currently be working to grow you. Rather than rush to the end result, slow down and pay attention. This might require times of silence and solitude or a reflective practice such as journaling or conversation with a spiritual mentor.

Supporting Scripture

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing” (James 1:2–4).

Photo: Khanistra Peetakul/Getty Images

This article was originally titled “Going Through It” in the May 2026 issue of The War Cry.