Jun
1
Written by:
tim
6/1/2010 12:15 PM
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 (NIV)
There's a huge part of me that wants to eliminate problems. I'd love to see every marriage whole and centered in Christ. I would very much enjoy it if every time I prayed for someone's healing; they were instantly and miraculously alleviated from their suffering. I wish that I could touch someone's mind and release them from addiction. I'd love to drop significant amounts of cash into people's bank accounts that are in financial strife. If those who struggle day in and day out with depression could simply snap out of it and live comparatively normal lives I'd be elated. I want to say just the right words or do the right things to minister to those who are grieving and see them laugh and live well!
I can't do any of these things in the way I'd like to and this is reason to smile. Yes smile! I can help, I can be a good friend or a good pastor, I can give good counsel and I can point people to Christ but I'm not in control here. It is the Lord who allows hard times and good ones to fall on us all and apparently He has his own good reasons for everything.
I find it difficult to watch my children struggle when they do. There's a part of me that wants to swoop in and fix their problem or bail them out but I'm NOT always supposed to do that. I want them safe but I also know that they must struggle and fall down in order to learn. I don't like seeing them struggle but I would be a lousy parent if I continually interfered even in seemingly positive ways.
Two truths (of course their are piles more) ring true throughout Scripture that apply to this conversation: 1) God loves us, in fact, the only way we really have a clue about love is because He originated the concept. 2) God is far more concerned with our character than our comfort. (Thanks Rick Warren for that phrase.) We lose jobs, we lose loved ones, we make bad choices, we get shafted, hurt, slandered, sick and injured. Trials come. When we live as followers of the Lord those trials don't need to be pointless, instead they can be part of our maturation. God won't always "deliver us" from suffering... and that's okay. As the previous pastor of this church often asks for in his prayer requests, we can have "joy in the journey" even when that journey isn't so easy.