James 1:12

This verse is great encouragement to me today. After a restless sleep, waking up to Monday morning looked quite bleak. I said a prayer as I got ready, asking God to bring me joy despite everything that is crowding my plate today. Then I read this passage and took a deep breath. My Lord says, Courtney, you are blessed when you push through these hard things called trials. I give them to you for a reason, because I know you are strong and can learn from them.

Does it not seem that only in retrospect do our problems and miseries seem positive somehow? After we've weathered the storm, we look back and remark, wow, that really DID help me! I see the lesson now! Just once, I'd like to have that clarity in the midst of my suffering. I would love to be able to endure the pain, while smiling and thinking, this is for a reason, this is for a reason, and God still loves me. After all, isn't that what He asks of us?

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

Thus, this is my plea and my hope...that God will strengthen me by His grace and unfailing faithfulness to see th light in the middle of the storm. To keep my eyes on that light above all else, and have the courage to smile and be happy in my heart, because I know it is for a reason, for an ultimate good.