Followby Chris Pace
2010 was a very long and difficult year to get through for me. I encountered a variety of trials, more then I ever have before–relationship, finance, health, loss of a family member, loss of a friend, the list goes on. There were times during these trials where I tried to deal with them on my own, sometimes unaware that that was what I was doing. There were times when I felt like falling to the ground and drowning in emotional darkness, when I felt completely exhausted to the point of crying. I had moments when I just wish I could give up, turn my back on the whole matter and start anew.
However, at the end of each trial I found myself at God’s feet. I never ran from Him or waited until the last minute to call upon Him. Even though I’d call upon Him, He would still allow me to go through those trials. Because He allowed this, instead of continuing in the manner I had previously attempted to get through my trials, I began to thank Him for these trials and find reasons to praise and glorify Him in each “trial”. God let me endure these things so that I could draw closer to Him, to rely on Him, to understand what it truly means to have faith in God. I have come to realize how blessed I am with everything I have, with everyone I know, and with every opportunity He presents me with. My hard times are only hard when I look at them from my perspective, but when I look at them the way He wants me to, I see blessings instead of trials. With that being said, last year wasn’t that bad after all.
James 1:2-4 – Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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