Challenges & Blessings

  Today, as I walked down the street on the way somewhere, it began to occur to me (again!) how we take so many things for granted in our lives, and how we so often color the situations and circumstances of our lives through the lens of our past experiences.  We accept certain things, because we've always accepted them, and have disdain for others, because they are unfamiliar to us, or don't make sense at the time.

  Truth is like that.  Our lives are like a hodge-podge of inconsistencies and amalgamations of wisdom and folly, sense and nonsense.  Sometimes we go headlong into an emotional reaction without considering the context or meaning of it all.  And often we languish in this state for a much longer period of time than is necessary.

  Challenges.  Blessings.  Have you ever thought that perhaps on occasion these two terms, as it relates to our lives, may be synomynous ?   But we make them enemies and antitheses of

each other.  Life was never meant to be without its challenges, for they make us stronger and cause us to grow into the persons that we were meant to become.  Sometimes blessings come as a complete surprise, like a gift out of nowhere.  Then there are the times that blessings actually come out of a challenging time or situation.

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

  There's something going on here.. a process.. that makes us something different than what we already are.  It happens when a kind and generous Father grants us the privilege of being taught by himself.

  I thank my God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.  (Phil. 1:3-6)

  This is the backdrop for our challenges that we face in life, a beautiful tapestry of God's handiwork which will eventually result in a complete, mature person.   It is this perspective which will allow us to have -not happiness but-  joy in knowing that God is continuing to work within us to make us more like himself.

   [ PRAYER:  God, as we go through our daily routines and live our separate lives, let us always keep in our hearts and minds the realization that you are at work in all of your children's lives, and may we resolve to keep you first in our thoughts, and be joyful in the midst of life's challenges.  Amen. ]

  Selah.  Think on these things. =)