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James 1:2-4
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.
Have you ever heard the saying, "Life is just so DAILY"? Sometimes those "daily" moments can definitely be a trial! I realized this week that I have mostly just applied these verses in James to the "big" trials in my life. But James says "trials of various kinds"...I guess that would include the daily kinds of trials.
Like when breakfast takes me a little longer than anticipated to make, so now I'm 5 minutes late for work (again).
Or when the driver in front of me refuses to go anywhere near the speed limit (or stops at the yield sign...).
Or when the phone is ringing, someone walks in the front door, and everyone suddenly remembers that list or those labels or some important piece of information they need from the secretary...RIGHT NOW. And oh, yeah, did you print those permission forms yet?
Or when club day rolls around and several (most) of the volunteers are calling to say they can't make it today...sorry, can you handle 65 or so kids K-2nd grade with just 2 teenage helpers?!
Or when I'm trying desperately to teach said K-2nd graders about how Jesus gives us peace and patience even when the world would say they're impossible, but I keep having to interrupt myself to tell these crazy kids to just be quiet, can't you pay attention for 10 minutes?!
Yep, even those kinds of trials count. Even there, I should be "counting it all joy" (rather than counting the minutes until the kids are picked up, or the seconds until the light turns green). I'm sure the "dailiness" of your life looks different than mine, but I am also sure that you have "daily trials", too. And the truth is, even in the seemingly smallest, most mundane trying moment, we need to remember to count it joy and let God develop the character He desires in us. In fact, perhaps it's even more true in those daily trying moments. Maybe those are the trials that, when counted joy, most develop steadfastness, perseverance and patience (all possible translations of that one Greek word, hupomone) in us.
Father, help me to remember to "count it all joy", even in the most daily kinds of moments in my life!
May the Lord bless you richly as you "count it all joy", even in the normal "dailiness" of life!
Dancing in the rain,
Haley "SunShine" Miller
"Exhort one another daily while it is called 'Today'" (Hebrews 3:13)
Mornin' SunShine Website
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