I reluctantly picked this up yesterday. Not exactly a banner day. Megan asked what it was and I told her it was a "cool sticker". The weight of that sticker weighs on me.
I think so often when we are faced with difficulties and pain our first reaction is to retract. And run. And get it to stop anyway we can. As soon as possible. Because who wants to suffer?! As a person of faith, I've noted we tend to pray and plead and even beg God to bring relief from the hard thing. Certainly, it is in no way wrong to ask for help. God tells us to call to him and he will answer us.
But the more I face, the more I think by doing ONLY that, we are actually missing the point. Rather than focusing on removal of the uncomfortable hard thing, I think we are actually to LEAN IN. Lean in to the pain. Lean in to the sorrow. Lean in to broken mess of it all. Elisabeth Elliot writes of a gorse bush with thorns stating, "But that flower was to bloom, not in spite of, but BECAUSE of the thorn." It's the leaning in process that gives painful birth to something beautiful.
Romans 5 says, "We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." A hopeful person is a beautiful person.
And even more, I think for the first time, I am seeing that leaning in, instead of clawing the sides for escape, there can be peace in uncertainty. 2 Corinthians 12 says, "My grace is SUFFICIENT for you, my power is made perfect in WEAKNESS...That is why I delight in weaknesses...in hardships... in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am STRONG." I've heard this verse a thousand times, but by leaning in, I really have come to see where true strength lies. I've spent years placing my confidence in my career, academic achievements, athletic ability and even looks. But with all of that taken away, I am finally coming to see it is no longer me, the 'strong independent woman', but God IN me, making me strong. And that is not at all dependent on physical ability.
Many have said "God will not give us more than we can handle, so he must trust me an awful lot!". I believe God absolutely gives us more than we can handle! Giving us what we could handle would leave no room for faith.
And faith is a beautiful thing.
During the difficult painful times and seeming 'showers' of adversity also comes rain to water our dry souls.
If we let it.
We always have a choice.
Adversity changes nothing about God's character. It only changes us. By leaning in to God, these showers can become something beautiful. Something life giving. Something eternal. That no physical limitation can squelch.
Lamentations 3 says, "The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord...Let him sit alone in silence, for the Lord has laid it on him...For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he WILL show compassion, so great is his unfailing love."
"You who have shown me great and severe troubles shall revive me again and bring me up from the depths of the earth." Ps 71:20
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