Challenge

James 1:2-4 states:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Trials of various kinds come from various sources, and I believe, have various purposes. Hopefully, these trials teach us who we are in God.

When faced with adversity we have two choices: go it alone, or go with God. If we go it alone we may miss the point of the trial completely (which is to go with God.)

All of our power comes from God. He has loaned it to us to use at our discretion. We get to decide whether we collaborate with The Creator of the Universe, or go our own way.

If we go with God then the testing of our faith as described by James will lead to steadfastness, and ultimately, to our own perfection in God. If we go our own way, well, who knows where that may lead?

I was going to write about how God uses people to challenge us. He does. But that’s less joyful than this.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is not only about releasing others for what they have done to us. It’s also about accepting others for who they are to us.

In Matthew 6:14-15, directly following The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus warns,

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

We forgive others; God forgives us. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change how we feel about those who trespass against us. We hate them. And, so long as we hold on to hatred, we are trapped.

I am blessed with enthusiasm. At the core of my enthusiasm is an appreciation for the people God places in my life. Yes, sometimes they trespass against me, and sometimes I return the favor.

However, I have learned to accept others for who they are to me: namely, God’s agents in my life. I don’t always like or appreciate the role they play, but I trust that their presence is part of God’s plan, even in the most painful circumstances.

God is shaping and molding us daily into the people he created us to be. Forgiving others softens the clay.