For a time like this

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that testing of your faith developes perserverence." James 1:2-3

Monday: I was running in the cold, wet, snowy weather trying to get to the bus stop on time to catch the bus. I make it, literally, by a second only to find that I have lost my bus pass and I don't have any cash on me for bus fare. So, I begin my long (2h) walk home and I am furious. It's cold. It's snowing. My feet, my back and my shoulders are aching, and I'm not even half way home yet. Oh yeah and I was carrying a bookbag almost as heavy as another person on my back while carrying another bag containing my workout clothes. As I'm walking home I'm having a pow-wow with God giving him a peace of my mind, not that He doesn't already know how I feel and what I am thinking. Although I was upset, I almost felt kind of bad for feeling upset, angry, and all that jazz. I figure God didn't give us these emotions to keep to ourselves, He gave them to us to feel and express ourselves. So, I opened up to God and let Him have it. Momentarily, after spilling my guts, I began searching my brain for a bible verse or something that would be of encouragement or strength- anything- to get me through this unpleasent trial/challenge I was facing. I figured there had to be something for a time like this. Of course, one of the verses that imediately came to mind was James1:2-3. Of course, my instant reaction was thinking that is one of that last things I want to hear right now. That's easy for someone to say who isn't actually the one suffering or struggling. But the more I walked and talked, the more that verse kept biting at me. Now, I'm not sure if because I began to calm down I was able to have a better acceptance of this verse during this dreadful evening OR if because I began to have better acceptance of this verse that I was able to calm down. But never the less, I was calm and in the presence of the Lord and beginning to see Him in the midst of this annoying trial. I began to tell myself "God is preparing me. This is just all part of God's plan of preparation for what He has in store for me. This is part of a lesson from which I must learn."

Monday was an exhausting evening, but after reflecting on my experience and having time to put some things in perspective I have come to a conclusion or two.

1. God has reminded me how blessed I am to have warm clothes, a warm house, and food in my tummy. As I was walking home, a thought crossed my mind while talking with God, that although I am walking 2hours in the cold weather to go home- I have a home to go to and it's only 2hours. There are many homeless people who have been and will be outside in this painfully cold weather all night and all day with little or no food to eat.
2. In trails, it is important to perservere because God is strengthening us and sometimes through such trials God is reminding us of all the blessing we have to be thankful for OR sometimes He is showing us that we are/were beginning to put other things before Him and He's reminding us who we should be putting first in our lives.
3. It's okay to ask for help when in need. That's what family and friends are for, if you can't depend on your family and friends for help in such situations then get new family and friends. [When I say family, I mean not just biological family but church family, & etc.)

"Don't ask God for a lighter load, ask God for a stronger back."

Whatever trials or challenges that may come your way this week, I encourage you to perservere.