Years ago when we built our house, I remember going out to the construction site and thinking, Man, this is just a mess! Where's the broom? This has to go faster than it is! Please hurry up. I didn't enjoy what I saw during the early phases of construction, but the closer it got to the finished product, I liked it better and better.
You've probably heard the saying "I'm not all that I want to be, but thank God I'm not what I used to be." If you can say that today, that's a good thing because it means you're on the road to progress. The truth is that all of our lives are under construction, and sometimes the road to progress is messy, and we don't like what we see in ourselves. But we're a work in progress. We will get to the completion phases because God is going to fulfill His promises to us!
So when you get discouraged, remember what the apostle Paul says: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6 NKJV). During the difficult times and challenges, be confident that God is doing a work in you. It's all just a part of the construction process. God has His hands on you the entire time. He is not going to let you fall or fail! He is going to complete you and get you to the intended destination.
God is a faithful God who pushes us. He doesn't pat us on the back all the time. He's loving and kind and gentle, but He is saying, "Get up! I am with you! You're going to be strengthened in your faith as you go through this, so when you get to the other side you're prepared for the next level. You'll be prepared for Me to bring forth the promises that I have in store. Be confident that I will complete the good work in you!"