Through the Trial

Let me start right here, right off the bat and say this:

I don’t mean to come across falsely humble or self deprecating though it may seem that way. I come, solely, to say that as I age and mature through this life I continue to accumulate more questions than answers. I cannot, in any way, answer the more challenging questions, please don’t even ask me to. But, with much patience, I have learned to ask the questions. I have learned to ask many hard, controversial and potentially borderline heretical questions. Most of these questions I have are spoken only in my heart language because often I don’t have the gumption to ask the question out loud.

I say all of that to say this: trials will come my friends. Trials and tribulations and struggles and pain and emotional eruptions. Let them come, because there really is no stopping them otherwise. If you are a follower of Jesus you can probably point your attention to multiple scriptures referring to the thought of trials. I know I can. I probably can’t quote many of them at the moment but I know they are referenced in the Old and New Testament. Think along the lines of Job, and Daniel and David. Then in the NT, Jesus, any of his followers and particularly Paul.

I’m not sure that I even have enough collected thoughts on this topic at the moment. I felt it necessary to let the topic come to me as I type. If you were to see a snapshot of my life at the moment you could quickly see that the word ‘trial’ could easily be tagged to the image of my life. The thing is with these trials is that they don’t, individually, look all that bad. A broken truck here, a run down lawnmower there, an inoperable RV (that once was planned to be our residence for a season, mind you) and a tumultuous living arrangement… and honestly the list of items could continue. On their own, those things hold only temporal value. I know that. They do not and will not ever define or confine my life. But on the same token, they are tools and vestibules of my life. Each of them has their own off-shoot of importance and symbolism into the shadows of my heart, my life. A house is not merely a compilation of lumber and nails and concrete: it is most purely a place to lay ones head. It is the abode, the place where I laugh and cry and mourn. It is the most private place I can run to in times of need of lack. A home….ok you get the point.

So, here’s a question (that I am also asking myself): What happens when you (or I) face trials, dear friends? What happens when it feels that your whole world is falling apart (sometimes literally, most often figuratively)? What do you turn to? Who do you trust? Whose voice becomes the most clear?

Here’s what I’ve come to learn, ever so slowly: There is always rescue available. And Jesus is never shorthanded in His ability or desire to rescue.

The key to accepting His rescue is identifying WHERE is the rescue. And you know, 9 times out of 10 it comes when you are least expecting it. If you are experiencing intense emotional waves: look out for His rescue. In some of my most frustrating and devastating times I have seen Jesus come near to my heart. While driving, on occasion, He will enter in to the car with me and sit beside me. I’ve imagined His beaming presence near me….and that thought alone pummels my soul. In my frustration, in my anger, in my anxiety…..in it all He still came near and the rescue was merely His presence. ‘There is fullness of joy in His presence’.

I get it, reading that last paragraph makes it seem too easy. But there’s no rule that says being in God’s presence has to be difficult. There’s no set of rules or rituals or traditions that must be followed. God, Omnipresent and Omnipotent, is ever wanting to be near you, dear one. If you read anything, read that last sentence again….

Almighty. Jehovah. Creator. Alpha. Omega.

He so desires to be with you and near you. His longing for us far exceeds our longing for Him.

Choose Him. Choose Him now. Choose Him again. Choose Him forever.