In 1972 Judith Viorst wrote a children’s book entitled “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”. Alexander is a young boy who endures a string of misfortunes throughout his day, starting when he wakes up to find gum in his hair. His brothers, Anthony and Nick, find prizes in their cereal boxes, while Alexander finds none. On the carpool ride to school, Alexander is denied a window seat. At school, Alexander encounters criticism from his teacher, his best friend replaces him with two other friends, and his lunch bag lacks a dessert. And the whole day goes downhill from there. Throughout the book, there is a running gag wherein Alexander expresses his desire to relocate to Australia. His mother reassures him that even in Australia, people can and do have bad days like him. I had a day when Australia was looking pretty good to me too! We all have days or sometimes even seasons of life where we wonder why stuff in our lives keeps going sideways. Sometimes it is just the small stuff of life, but other times it can be something or a number of things that come close to breaking our hearts. Where is God in all of this? He is right there with you and me. Life in a broken world can feel broken, even when you are a child of God. God doesn’t just put a protective bubble around you so that you never feel pain, injustice, taken for granted or the sense that you just can’t do anything right. But he loves you…so what’s up? James in his letter to the church tells us that when any kind of troubles, that’s big or small, come your way…it is an opportunity for you to actually experience joy. What??? When troubles come, that’s when your faith is tested…that’s when you find out who you really are and what your relationship with God really is. But the usefulness of trials doesn’t just end there. Because when your faith is tested (along with your patience!) your endurance has a chance to grow. Because why God has not just jumped in and immediately swept you away to high peaks of delight…is that he is changing you. He wants that character of Christ in you to mature and grow and flourish. He is using the junk stuff in this world…to conform you to the image of Christ himself. It can hurt, it is hard…but the promise is that he will make it all worth it. So, hang in there…besides, Australia is a long way to go. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
James 1:2-4 NLT Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. (3) For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. (4) So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ
James 1:2-4 NLT Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. (3) For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. (4) So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
Remember I’m praying for you!
With love, PJ