Trials' End

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
 - James 1:2-4

What don't kill ya make ya more strong!
 - Metallica

Trials.  Tests.  Challenges.  Hard times.  Man, "you know I've had my share..."

Sad, lonely, profoundly insecure, and eventually suicidal, growing up.  Father got sick and died literally when a boy needs his dad the most.  Drugs, alcohol, and all that path brings.  Heart broken repeatedly.  Disappointment.  Disillusionment.  Frustration.  Multiple layoffs.  Financially strapped for...ever, it seems.

And this is just the tip-of-the-iceberg snapshot of my story.  What about your story?  What have you endured?  I have some friends who have been through things I know I could never handle!  (Thankfully, God promises those who love him that we will never be tested beyond what we can handle.)  But you know what?  Even despite this promise, and despite how good for me trials are, sometimes, I am cotton pickin' tired of all the trials!  Sometimes, I just want what I want, when I want, how I want, and exactly the way I want...and I want it to be EASY!

Contrary to what we would prefer, however, trials are an inevitable part of life.  And truly, the best thing of all is that, for those who are in a position to claim them, not only are these trials progenitors of bigger, longer-lasting benefits; but, one day, the trials will end forever, and we will have relief(!):


God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.
 - 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7

I Am A Hot Mess!

I would guess that most, if not all, of us have heard the saying, "God doesn't make mistakes," as in, "God made you, and God doesn't make mistakes."

Does he, however, make messes?  It does kind of make sense that he does.  After all, children make messes; and, he did say that we need to become like them if we want to get to heaven.  Maybe he even likes messes.  That would be really good for me; cuz friend, lemme tell ya, I am one hot MESS!

First, start with all the lists of sins or shortcomings in the Bible.  Then, add to that what can only really be described as a kind of deep, inner darkness.  Et voila!  That's me.  :)  In fact, on those oh-so-rare occasions when I feel like I'm actually doing all right, I catch a glimpse of my pride about it, and BAM!, I'm right back to being a hot mess.

Ah but here's the good news:

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
 - 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

"In applying these analogies, the apostle says that in the case of the resurrection of the dead, God will take a perishable, dishonorable, weak (and sinful) body -- 'a natural body' characterized by sin -- and in the resurrection make it an imperishable, glorious, powerful body, fit to live eternally with God."
 - NIV Study Bible

Now, I don't know or care how much, if any, of eternity is physical.  All I need to know is that God will make the heavenly me perfect -- Goodbye hot mess!

Leave Your Faith At The Door!

I like to think I've learned a few things along the way.  One of these things is that there are two kinds of trust -- and, at least in the context of this post, the same can be said of faith.  The first kind of trust is the kind you choose to put in someone; the second kind is what you implicitly have.  My relationship with my wife illustrates this pretty well.

When we first started dating, I chose to trust her based basically on what I saw in her and where I wanted the relationship to go.  Now, 15 years into our friendship and 12 years into our marriage, I implicitly trust her.  Things that worried me back then don't even cross my mind now!  This second kind of trust -- or faith -- comes only from experience; and, it works the same way with God.

When I first became a Christian, I chose to trust God, based on what I read in his Word and what I saw in his people.  Now, after being with him for just shy of 17 years, I implicitly trust him.  I know he will take care of me and mine no matter what comes our way!  To get to this point, I and we have had to go through some pretty tough times, lemme tell ya -- and I'm pretty sure the refining trials aren't over yet, either -- but that's how it works.  How else can you know how someone will respond in tough times (e.g., that they will not abandon you) if you never actually experience tough times?

The best part of all of this, though, is that when I get to heaven, I will leave my faith at the door!


Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.
 - Hebrews 11:1

When I get to heaven, everything I have put my trust, hope, and faith in all these years, as well as the years to come -- the one basket into which I have placed all my truly valuable eggs -- will finally be mine to SEE and HAVE!  I picture a big barrel at the "pearly gates" with a sign that reads, "Please deposit your faith here - you won't be needing it any more!"  Now won't that be awesome!

Endurance Rewarded

Sometimes I think the greatest challenge in life does not come with the great tragedies, but in the challenge to simply endure.  Let's face it: each day really does have enough trouble of its own.  We all face hard times; but, even more, we all face the day-to-day grind of life.  I mean, if you really think about it, the general pattern of life seems to follow the general pattern of the average career: lots and lots (and lots...) of the time is spent working, with a real vacation thrown in only occasionally.  Like I talk about in my book*, this life really is a battle.

(*Was that a shameless plug?  Naaah, of course not, pas de moi!  :D )

The Israelites' journey exemplifies it pretty well, too.  We all know they spent 40 years wandering when the trip should have taken less than two weeks; but, what happened next?  40 years of treacherous wandering in the desert followed by...the moment they entered the promised land.  Ahhh, what a great moment, right?  But  a moment is all it was.  The land may have been flowing with milk and honey, but they still needed to build their homes, work for their food, fight their enemies, get along with each other(!), etc.

We all LOOONG to live a life of peace, comfort, convenience, fun, rest, and ease (I actually fantasize about having a replicator from Star Trek in my home...and a holodeck wouldn't be too bad, either).  But we don't live those lives.  And we won't.  Will we experience moments of those things?  Sure.  But we will never get to the point when our lives are nothing but those things.  At least, not in this life:


God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

 - James 1:12

The original Greek word translated as "crown" here was the usual term for a wreath placed on the head of a victorious athlete or military leader.  So, God will personally reward those of us who love Him with the eternal life only He can provide!  I'd say that's worth just a little more enduring!