When Mondays are 87 hours long... Finding Joy in Trials
Ever have a Monday that feels like it's 87 hours long? Yeah. Me too. And I'm having one today. I won't bore you with all of the nitty gritty details, but it's just been a day that's left me 100% drained and wanting to quit all of the things. As I was leaving one work destination to head to another, I contemplated my misery that seemed to have no rhyme or reason behind it. I thought in passing, "I can't even remember what my quiet time was on this morning. Oh wait, it was on rejoicing in trials. Awesome." I mean seriously, Beth Moore? Did you HAVE to hit me with that gem of conviction at 5:45 am on a MONDAY? I really feel like that should be illegal.
Anyways, I started thinking a little bit more about rejoicing in trials. How do you even do that? And it's not necessarily that I'm even going through a trial. I just feel so drained that I don't have a whole lot of feelings and everything feels like an extreme chore. But James 1:2-4 is pretty clear when it says, "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 nothing (ESV)."
It's clear that I'm supposed to see my trials as joy, remembering that steadfastness through them makes me more like Jesus. It's also pretty clear that I'm not good at this. And honestly, I feel pretty silly trying to write words of advice to people on an issue that I am mountains away from conquering. But the best part is, I don't have to have the answers on how to handle finding joy in trials (which is great, because right now my mental capacity is that of a rock). So, if you're going through something, whether it be the loss of a loved one or just really un-Christlike road rage, find hope in these words. Please don't merely skim them. Let them sink in. They'll give you what you need.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." -Matthew 11:28-29
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." -Psalm 34:19
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words." -Romans 8:26
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." -Hebrews 12:1
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7
My friends, this is it. Our life on this Earth is so short. Let us run well and cling to Jesus, our only solid foundation, through every trial.
Anyways, I started thinking a little bit more about rejoicing in trials. How do you even do that? And it's not necessarily that I'm even going through a trial. I just feel so drained that I don't have a whole lot of feelings and everything feels like an extreme chore. But James 1:2-4 is pretty clear when it says, "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 nothing (ESV)."
It's clear that I'm supposed to see my trials as joy, remembering that steadfastness through them makes me more like Jesus. It's also pretty clear that I'm not good at this. And honestly, I feel pretty silly trying to write words of advice to people on an issue that I am mountains away from conquering. But the best part is, I don't have to have the answers on how to handle finding joy in trials (which is great, because right now my mental capacity is that of a rock). So, if you're going through something, whether it be the loss of a loved one or just really un-Christlike road rage, find hope in these words. Please don't merely skim them. Let them sink in. They'll give you what you need.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." -Matthew 11:28-29
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all." -Psalm 34:19
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words." -Romans 8:26
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." -Hebrews 12:1
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:4-7
My friends, this is it. Our life on this Earth is so short. Let us run well and cling to Jesus, our only solid foundation, through every trial.
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