Today, I lost a small but very real battle… with a pickle jar.

I twisted. I tapped. I pried. I even resorted to paper towels like they were some kind of magical grip-enhancing device. That jar still said, “Nope.” Eventually, the lid gave way — bent, jagged, clearly traumatized — but not before reminding me who was actually in control. And standing there in my kitchen, holding a defeated jar lid, it hit me: this is exactly what my faith journey has felt like at times.

There are moments when I try everything to force something open — answers, healing, clarity, peace — and it just won’t budge. I push harder. I get frustrated. I start thinking, Why is this so difficult? But maybe the resistance isn’t punishment. Maybe it’s protection. Maybe God is saying, “Not this way. Not yet.” And just like that jar, when I finally stopped trying to force it and accepted the struggle for what it was, the moment passed — imperfectly, messily, but honestly.

Sometimes grace doesn’t come with a clean pop and an easy win. Sometimes it comes with bent edges, patience lessons, and a reminder that not everything opens on our timeline. And that’s okay. God’s still working — even when the lid won’t budge.

“Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
— James 1:2–4

Even when the lid won’t budge, God is still working.