Last week our pastor shared a message on Finding Grace in the Hard Times. He stated that when you're going through a hard time people will give you all kinds of solutions, many of which will not work. Lately I have been trying out all of these solutions in order to recover from my recent stint On the Bench with a running injury. Unfortunately I have experienced the Did Not Work outcome as well.
Last week I had a “marathon day” at work. It started with a morning team meeting, switched gears to working in the classroom and finally ended with our school open house. I guess you could say that the open house ended up being a blessing in disguise because after spending over 2 hours on my feet my leg throbbed. It was still aching when I woke up the following morning, no more trying to fix it on my own. Two hours at the clinic and the answer I had been dreading, stress fracture.
I can’t say that I was surprised at this news, as the signs had been pointing in that direction but I didn't want to accept it. So here I am accepting, it is what it is. Last week’s sermon on the hard times has continued to come to my mind.
John 16:33
“I have told you these things,
so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world.”
Jesus stated that we would have trouble in this world.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy,
my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know
that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work
so that you may be
mature and complete,
not lacking anything.
Life certainly doesn’t always go as planned and I can endure with a bad attitude, which I’ve been doing plenty of lately or I can choose to make the most of this troublesome trial. I can not change what has already happened and neither can I predict the future. So I will accept and press on to let perseverance finish its work. The joy part, I'm not there yet but I'm trusting God to get me to considering it pure joy.
What trials are you facing? Spend some time with God processing your circumstances. Do you honestly consider them pure joy? Ask God to help you accept, for Him to give you the perseverance needed and maybe even consider that it is pure joy.