Joy in Trials?

For some time my spiritual curriculum has included a lot about the importance of meeting life with joy as I've been brought to such texts as  "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil 4:4) and "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).  This week I've gained greater understanding of this passage in James:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you are involved in various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But you must let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."  - James 1:2-4, ISV

We have been facing some challenges of a political nature in our work, and I must admit I have not really followed the advice in these verses in James.  I frankly wanted to run away from it all like Jonah did.  However, I have hung in there and now that we're beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel, I'm realizing the truth brought out in these verses.  While I still have a ways to go to "consider it pure joy", I have been able to see personal spiritual growth in the way I have handled things and in the support I have received from God - both in my devotional life, and through other people - and this has indeed brought joy. 

While I long for the day when I am so filled with God's perfect love that all fear is cast out (1 John 4:18), I can already see that each time I go through something like this with prayer and active seeking of God's guidance, my faith is strengthened and my ability to face challenges of this nature is increased. While I may not be fully "mature and complete" I definitely see growth and thank God for it.  

I'm learning something about walking through trials.  When I cling to fear, it's like my eyes are shut tight, keeping me from seeing the support all around me.  As I learn to trust and open my eyes through the process, I see more and more of the support that is there for me and it indeed brings joy.

In the case of this recent situation we've been facing, I was given guidance long before the challenges began that has been a touch stone and source of comfort and faith, bolstering my strength and courage.  Various people have also stepped up with words of encouragement and support that have meant so much!  The very fact that I'm seeing this sort of support through these trials shows me that my eyes are more open than they have been in the past. 

As I continue to ponder the idea of endurance, I think of running a marathon.  I expect I am not alone in thinking a marathon is a challenge that I'm not sure I'm up for.  It takes a lot of endurance - and yet, one also hears about the "runner's high" that can be experienced.  It occurs to me that as I face trials in my life, I can experience a spiritual "runner's high" and that perhaps this is what allows me to "count it all joy" as advised in these verses in James.

Father, thank you for the growth I see and for the evidence of your love and care all around me.  While it is still hard for me to "count it all joy" as I go through trials, I am beginning to see the possibility of doing so as I feel the joy that comes from seeing the way you have led and the support you have provided.  While I can't say I look forward to facing trials, I am beginning to understand their value and trust that you are working for my best good and the good of those around me.  Thank you, Father, for your love and guidance and strength!  Thank you for bringing me the lessons I need, even though I don't always greet them with joy and sometimes experience them as painful.  Thank you for working in me both to will and to do of your good pleasure, and for filling my heart with joy as I open more fully to your leading in my life.

Pentecost

For the last couple of weeks we've been facing a work-related challenge that may spell the end of our work in a particular setting.  Changes in policy may create a situation where the income may no longer be there to cover our expenses.  In addition, there is increasing dissension that is making the situation uncomfortable. It has been a painful thing to face the notion that some folks would rather we weren't doing what we've been doing as they see it as taking away from their income. And yet there are others that have made it clear they REALLY appreciate our work.  While receiving these mixed messages and feeling our own feelings about things, we've been actively seeking guidance from God.  How are we to proceed?  

One Bible passage has come to mind over and over again - "the labourer is worthy of his hire", along with the accompanying thought that if our expenses are not going to be met, it may be time to move on.  In looking up this passage, a couple of more instructions jump out at me.  Verses 5-7 suggest we should be seeking to stay only where there is a spirit of peace, and verses 10-12 seem to indicate that if there is a lack of acceptance, it may be time to move on, making sure we do not take any remnants of that situation with us.  Of course, things are often not quite so clear cut and as I've said, the messages we've been getting are mixed.  Yet, the very fact that they are mixed undercuts the "peace" that might be there.  

Another thought has been coming over and over - a reminder of something I wrote about on this blog back on December 18. As indicated there, I had thought (looking through human eyes) that we might need to discontinue our classes in the spring.  At the time I wrote about it in mid-December, it felt like I was receiving guidance that suggested our classes might instead be intended to last until early June.  At the time, I noted the guidance, but didn't understand it because to human eyes it looked like if we made it through spring we'd be good to go for some time.  Nevertheless, I "held these things in my heart", waiting to see what would unfold.  

Today as I remind myself that God is in charge, I watch what is unfolding with interest. I find myself wondering if indeed things will transpire to keep us only "until Pentecost" as it seemed was being hinted at back in December. 

Another thought keeps coming to me as well.  I find myself pondering that instruction in Luke 10:7 about "not moving from house to house".  What does this mean for us?  When I ask that question, it seems what we may be being directed to do is to settle in one place to do our work - a place that is peaceful and accepts us.  I've wondered whether we should be trying to generate and accept all sorts of other engagements to try to make ends meet where we are, but I find myself wondering if this message is instead guidance telling us that we are to move on to a situation that will meet the expenses while giving us a more solid base of operations.  

Father, we seek your guidance and direction and are grateful for it.  Are there doors on which we need to knock and say "peace on this house" to test whether it is the place for us?  Is the time soon upon us when we should be "shaking the dust from our feet" with regard to this one specific situation?  We seek your guidance, Father.  We thank you for the guidance received thus far and the knowledge that you will continue the work you have begun in us.  Thank you for removing the worry from our minds, and filling us with gratitude as we remember the way you have led thus far.  Thank you, Father!