TRIALS: All these things we face will make us stronger but how can we survive them?

Posted on March 3, 2020 by stlsportspage

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” —James‬ ‭1:2-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

That verse is basically saying #ChooseHappyFindContentment. We face trials every day but some are worse than others.

We all have trials that test our faith; but if we stay “steadfast” in our pursuit of trusting God and trying to get a little “happy” when we can– then we will have a better life. When the Bible verse says if we do that we will be “perfect and complete lacking in nothing” it is the promise of an eternity in Heaven.

Are you facing trials this week? Does it seem “what else can go wrong?” Don’t say that because we all know A LOT CAN GO WRONG. That’s why I greet challenges as adventures. Things aren’t going as we would have planned– the Master Planner has a completely different date book (or phone schedule) than we have.

He will never leave us during our challenges– and if we remain steadfast He will make us even stronger than we thought we would be and give us many hidden blessings that we might not have seen if we were not open for them.

There may be illness or injury in the family– something awful you are going through. What are you going to do… wilt like a flower or are you going to “water yourself” and flourish. We can all be great even in the midst of “situations”– but it takes a shift in our attitude. We have to WANT to live a good life; we have to want to have a good day.

A three-year -old or a five-year-old can’t always “choose happy” but we can. Though children are more joyful than adults in general, they often have temper tantrums when they are at the end of their rope.

When I come to “the end of my rope” I sometimes have to sit down and have a short cry, or listen to music– or do whatever it takes to honor that feeling. But after a short “poor me” I make myself get up and go do something.

That reminds me of a time with our son Mike. I had just about had it with his 4-year-old antics and I said “I’m at the end of my rope!” He looked back at me and said, “Well I’m in the middle of mine!” We all have more rope– we just have to keep holding on.

When things get bad we have to do our best to keep going. In our family we call it “Take an Advil and move on.” That is a metaphor for do what it takes to get back into life. You have a headache? Don’t sit around and complain about it, take and Advil and move on.

Bible Verse:

“To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens!” — Psalm 123:1

Quote:

“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” — Buddha

One Last Thought:

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright is doing “Walking with Waino”–a year long email Bible Study. Each day he sends an email with Bible verses to read and by the end of the year followers will have read the entire Bible. He makes it fun (To find out more about that: Click this link and then click sign up. https://www.sscommunitychurch.com/walking-with-waino/ You can also follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/walkingwwaino )