Gotta Get Through This

Now is my soul troubled.  And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I have come to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name.
                                       -John 12:27-28

Recently, someone was telling me about all of the upcoming stressors in her life.  “I just have to get through these next three weeks and it will all be over!” she said.  I sympathized.  There are many times when we all feel overwhelmed and wonder how we will ever get through it.  I know I’ve expressed the same sentiment many times.

The thing is, there have been times in the past when I’ve come to the end of one of those experiences that I wished would go more quickly and realized that it really hadn’t been all that bad.  Or, it was bad but there was a true and good and worthy reason to experience it.  Because of this, when my son was born I vowed that I would never wish my life away.  I wanted to remind myself – daily, if need be – that “this too shall pass,” and possibly all too soon.  In all honesty, there are always frustrations.  I’m pretty sure as soon as I get through my current stress, another will follow.  I think that just might be this thing called life. 

The other day, I was tempted to say, “I just have to get through this.”  A still, small voice interrupted my pity party to say, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…” (James 1:2)  Sometimes, the Bible can be so convicting!  I confess that my initial reaction to this verse is rebellion.  My stream of consciousness goes something like this: “Really?  Really?! I mean, who does that?  I can’t say that I’ve ever known anyone to count their trials as joy.  And how am I supposed to do that?  I guess I’m just a weak Christian.  Haha, not as strong in your faith as you thought you were, huh, Amy?  Guess you’re not so holy after all.  God, am I supposed to rejoice in this stress?  Am I supposed to be thankful when bad things happen to me?  This just doesn’t make sense to my mortal mind.” 

However, I know that this way leads to despair.  Logically, if I can’t trust God with my daily struggles, how then can I trust Him for my eternity?  And so, I talk myself in circles because I truly believe in Him and would trust Him for anything.  Yet, how do I “count it all joy?”  That’s not a trust issue, right?  It’s an attitude thing, right?  Perspective?  YIKES!  It’s an eternal perspective!  Meaning, that the thing that seems so awful right now will not seem so bad in light of all of eternity!  I guess that’s how I’m supposed to count it all joy."
    

I have to admit that sometimes the things I wish myself through aren’t all that bad.  Other times, they are terrible.  However, if I simply exist through those tough times, then I am not reaching the full potential of communion with my Savior.  Perhaps those are the times that push me past the realm of the earthly here and now into Heavenly Communion with my Lord.  Even so, Lord Jesus!  Even so.  Give me strength.  Amen.

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tried me, I shall come out as gold. -Job 23:10