What If the Hard Things Are the Point?
I was doing my morning devotional today when a single sentence stopped me in my tracks:
“The difficulties in my life are not in the way of God’s plan - they are a tool of it.”
Instantly, I felt it in my chest. It spoke right into something happening in my personal life. But just as quickly, I knew it was something my clients needed to hear, too. Because the same truth applies to the journey of quitting drinking.
The Hard Things Aren’t in the Way; They Are the Way
The difficulties you’re experiencing right now are not standing between you and freedom from alcohol.
They are how you learn to live without it.
Every struggle, craving, and setback is a spotlight showing you exactly where to focus your energy. They’re arrows pointing to the places in your life that need healing, strengthening, or attention.
These moments aren’t punishment; they’re tools. They’re the only way to develop the peace, confidence, and ease you’ve been craving.
The Work Isn’t Harder. It’s Just New
When we say things like “This is so hard. I don’t know if I can do it long-term,” what we’re really saying is that the work feels unfamiliar.
But here’s the truth: drinking was work, too.
The hiding, the hangovers, the guilt, the shame - it all took energy, time, and mental space. The only difference is that drinking is familiar work. Sobriety is new work.
You still get to choose where to invest your energy: in repeating old pain or building new peace.
What These Moments Are Trying to Teach You
Every time you’re tempted to drink, pause and ask:
What is this moment trying to teach me?
What is my sober journey showing me right now?
How could I respond differently, more in line with who I want to become?
Because these difficulties aren’t random. They are tools God (or whatever higher power you believe in) is using to build character in you that can’t grow any other way.
Learning Is Messy
Learning to live alcohol-free is no different than a toddler learning to walk. You wobble, fall, get frustrated, and then, eventually, you get steadier.
You can’t skip that process. You can’t bypass the awkward, uncomfortable, messy middle.
An umbrella helps us make it through the storm - it doesn’t remove the storm.
Want to feel confident at social events without drinking? You’ll have to go to social events and practice staying sober through the discomfort.
Want to handle stress without numbing? You’ll have to feel it, breathe through it, and discover what truly calms you.
There’s no shortcut. But the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
Familiar Doesn’t Mean Easier
Your brain equates familiar with safe.
That’s why alcohol can still feel tempting even when you know it’s hurting you; it’s predictable.
But familiarity isn’t the same as peace.
Familiarity isn’t freedom.
And the more you go back to drinking, the harder it gets to climb out of that hole. So instead of asking “Why is this so hard?” ask “What is this trying to show me?”
The Invitation
So today, whatever your difficulty looks like - cravings, stress, loneliness, boredom - try seeing it as your teacher, not your obstacle.
The hard things are not in the way of your healing; they are the way.
They are where the growth happens, where the confidence builds, and where the peace you’re praying for begins to take root.
It’s not more work than drinking ever was.
It’s just new work.
Work that will reward if you stay the course🖤
A Closing Prayer
God, help me see my difficulties not as detours, but as divine direction.
When I’m tempted to escape the discomfort, remind me that these moments are shaping me into someone stronger, steadier, and freer.
Teach me to trust the process - to trust You - even when it feels messy or slow.
Help me remember that the work of healing is not harder than the work of hiding. It’s just new.
And remind me that what feels hard right now will one day feel holy. Amen.
Journal & Reflect
Name Your “Hard Thing.”
What situation, craving, or emotion feels hardest for you right now? Write it down honestly,without judgment.Ask the Deeper Question.
What might this moment be trying to teach you? What skill, boundary, or truth could it be asking you to develop?Shift the Story.
Rewrite your challenge as a tool for growth. For example:“My loneliness isn’t proof that I’m broken - it’s teaching me how to connect more deeply.”
“This craving isn’t failure - it’s showing me where I still need care.”
4. Affirm the Truth.
Close your entry with this reminder:
This is not more work than drinking. It’s just new work. And I am strong enough to do new things.
We can do hard things friends🖤
xx-
Shannon