I have been around for a while. Life has been good to me. I have been blessed, enjoying many wonderful experiences with many wonderful people. I thank God for all of the great things I have been able to do. Not all of my experiences have turned out as well as I would have liked. Along with the good experiences there have been bad ones that brought heartache for my family and me. Some of the grief I have endured has been because of others, some because of mistakes I made and some because that is just the way life is. Everyone goes through bad times.
During the forty years that I was a pastor I listened to people express their pain, their grief and their sorrow. As a teacher I listened to students tell about terrible things they were experiencing at home. I heard students tell about having to run out of their house at three in the morning to hide because their mother’s boyfriend came home drunk and was fighting with their mother. I heard a young man tell how his mother made him sleep in the truck because she was prostituting herself in their small house. Many children had stories of brokenness and despair due to the unspeakable horrors brought on them by their moms and dads. Children and adults alike walk among us trying to hide their sadness, feeling that there is no hope and wondering why they have to go through such difficult times. We can not imagine the pain that those around us are going through. All of us have had times when we shed tears deep in our heart where no one could see. Such is the reality of thousands of men, women, boys and girls.
Wouldn’t it be great if we never had to experience heartaches? One thing we understand, we are all going to have many kinds of trials. James said, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” The thing we find difficult to accept is the part about being joyful when trouble comes our way. How is it possible to express joy when we are deeply hurting because of the troubles that are tearing us apart? No one in his right mind is going to joyfully accept terrible experiences. James is indicating that we all need trials in our lives because it is through trials that our faith is strengthened. We will develop spiritual muscles that will help us persevere in this harsh world.
I am reminded of my high school days when I played basketball. My team mates and I went through weeks of grueling conditioning. When we didn’t think we could run another sprint we were made to do more. Every day we were pushed beyond anything we though we could physically endure. We were so glad when practice was over, but we knew as we walked off that floor that we would return the next day to do it all over again. It was brutal, but it made us better prepared when we began playing our games, We were able to persevere. As Christians we must accept trials as opportunities to grow and to become stronger in our faith. I would not want to redo any of the trials I experienced, but I can say that because of them I am a better person. I am better able to deal with problems I face today.
Another reason that trials come our way is to direct us to depend on Jesus. We can always count on Jesus. He said, “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.” Even though we have troubles, Jesus will make sure that we survive. He has overcome every trial. He will help us whenever it seems we can’t go on. Jesus will give us peace and nothing will ever take away our joy.
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