Looking for the Sun in the Rain

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

~James 1:2-4

It has been a bit chilly here in Iowa the past couple days. Well, chilly may be a bit of an understatement. A better word would be frigid. The high on Monday was 5 with the low of -10. And then of course the wind chill made it feel like -20. Tuesday was a little warmer, but not by much. When it gets this cold, people seem a bit more bitter. They start talking about moving south and complain about the weather all day. Contrast this to the Summer when Iowa has some beautiful weather and no one complains about it then. They only start complaining when the humidity sinks in and the temps get really high. I am sure there are plenty of people that wish it would be 70 and sunny all year round.

That's how we want life too. We want everything just right, all the time. No hassles, no stress, no pain, no sorrow. But that's not how the Christian life works. We will face trials. The Bible does not hide that fact. But I think sometimes suffering through the bitter cold helps us appreciate the nice sunny days. In the same sense, the trials we go through help us appreciate when life is good. If we had it good all the time, we would take it for granted and not thank God for giving us good days. Trials also help draw us closer to God. Time and time again you can see that played out in the Old Testament with the Jews. Every time life would be good for them, they would turn to idol worship. So God would allow them to go through another trial and they would repent and return to following God. Like the Jews in the Old Testament, we realize in our trials that we cannot do things on our own and we look to God to help us through. It is also in those trials that we are more vulnerable and more willing to allow God to mold us into who He wants us to be. So this is why James says to consider trials pure joy. It is in those times God can work the most. So while trials bring pain and sorrow, it is then that God is working the most. Remember God is working through your trials. Rely on God and remember to look for the good in those trials. Also remember better days are ahead. God will bring you through this. It's suppose to get up to 21 today. While it's not 70, it's still warmer. And Summer will come.