It Ain't Easy!

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

1 Peter 1:6 

 

I remember, quite well, Army Basic Training.  It was torturous. It was challenging.  It was painful.  I wanted to quit.  It was definitely an endurance test.  And, believe it or not, it was one of the best growing experiences in my life.  I still use many of the skills learned in Basic Training, and while I am grateful for my Drill Instructors, at the time I really wanted them to leave me alone.  You see, Basic Training was trying for everyone, but especially for an introvert like me.  I was promoted midway through and was made Squad Leader which forced me to step out of my comfort zone and be in charge of my Squad.  Each day I prayed for this little slice of torment to be over.The endurance test of Basic Training was 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 8 grueling weeks.  I entered Basic Training at 185 lbs. and graduated 8 weeks later at 127 lbs.  

 

However, before I left for Basic, my recruiter told me that it was going to be "the closest thing to Hell you'll face this side of the dirt."  And he wasn't kidding.  Even though I KNEW ahead of time, I still struggled!  Guess what?  Scripture tells us over and over that on this Earth we will have to endure and even with that knowledge we still struggle, at least I do.  But the thing that keeps me going is knowing that God has promised that He will always be there to help.  The mere fact that, compared to the eternity that awaits, our endurance through the trials of this world are relatively tiny discomforts.

 

When we rely on God, that still doesn't take our stresses and trials away, but we will be given the strength to endure and to endure mightily! 

It Ain't Over Yet!

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

1 Peter 1:6 

 

There's Good News and then there's Not So Good News.  Ever notice that Good News almost always seems to come with a catch?  

 

The Good News is that WONDERFUL JOY is ahead for believers. That's God's promise to us.

 

The Not So Good News is we will have to endure many trials for a bit before we get to the Joy.

 

I hear the groans and moans every Monday morning.  For some, I hear the moans and groans about having a quiet shift.  For some, I hear moans and groans about everything.

 

But God is telling us, through Peter, that we are to be glad because once we have endured (yes you WILL endure, so don't quit) you will receive God's promised joy!

 

Whatever you are enduring now, just remember that God has promised that it's not going forever, but His promised joy is forever! 

Enduring or Preparing!

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. 

Afterward they will receive the crown of life 

that God has promised to those who love him.

James 1:12 

 

Have you ever thought you were stuck, or being punished, or feel you've been banished to some faraway land of the forgotten?  I have.  I have felt as though I were being banished where I would have not much really to accomplish.  I have also been stuck in a place where my every move was monitored and my supervisor's idea of supervising was standing directly over me pointing out how wrong my every move was in his eyes.

It's horribly inconvenient to feel stuck.  It's easy to feel extremely demeaned to be put somewhere you didn't ask to be or doing something you don't like doing.  Our minds, believe it or not, are geared to seek the negative FIRST.  We are wired to believe the worst because things to change to suit us immediately.

But look at what James tells us.  First, we will have challenges and we must be patient and keep doing what we know is right (that's called ENDURING).  Second comes the promise, "Afterward they WILL receive the crown of life."  Enduring challenges has its rewards.  And here's the best part, God is the one who promised the rewards!

Be patient and keep doing what is right!

It's GOING To Hurt!

"I’ve said these things to you so that you will have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble. But be encouraged! I have conquered the world.”

John 16:33 

 

I remember going through hand-to-hand combat training in the Army.  Most of us didn't fare so well against the instructor.  Partly because he was much larger than we were; partly because he had been doing it a lot longer than we had; but mainly because he knew the secret.  After tossing us around like ping-pong balls for a couple of hours, he made us all sit against the wall and said, "Let me tell you why TRUE Warriors are successful...TRUE Warriors KNOW it's going to hurt!  If you can accept that it's GOING to hurt, you will stop being afraid and you will be keep fighting!" 

 

I wish I could say that his peptalk gave us what we needed to toss HIM around like a used rag, but it didn't.  But I can tell you that we stopped being afraid of the pain and we improved every time we practiced.

 

When I was a child, every time the doctor had to give me an injection, I would tense up and try to anticipate the pain of the needle and it ALWAYS felt as if he had punched me.  That it, until I learned to relax and accept that it was going to hurt.  Did it still hurt?  Well YEAH, it's a sharp harpoon entering my body. But the pain was more tolerable.

 

History lesson: the Spartans were considered one of the most formidable fighting forces ever put together.  They began warrior training shortly after a child could walk.  The first thing the new warrior hopefuls learned was that "it's gonna hurt."  The older warriors pulled no punches and never went easy on the trainees.  Why? Because they had to accept that their enemies were not going to go easy on them, and their comrades needed them to fight beside them.  

 

We go through life and get upset every time something painful happens.  We forget that Jesus told us, "In the world you WILL HAVE TROUBLE."  He makes no bones about it.  Life in this world is going to be painful!  Let's face facts: Life here on this spinning marble is going to be painful!  We may lose jobs; we may run out of money; relationships may end; people may turn their back on us; IT'S GONNA HURT!!  

But here's the most wonderful news ever!  We weren't put on this earth alone and we don't go through life alone.  One of the reasons there are so many of us on this earth is to remind us that we don't have to go it alone!  We can come alongside others who are in pain and help them.  When we are in pain, others can come alongside us and help us.  The key is accepting that we are in pain and being willing to reach out for help.

Jesus promised that He had overcome the world.  Yet He still had to deal with the pain of being tortured to death, as well as, the pain of His Disciples abandoning Him, AND Peter denying Him.  Yet Jesus kept going through it. 

We aren't home yet.  Our purpose on this Earth is not completed yet.  Don't give up, even when (and especially when) life hurts!