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Cared For

     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 (James 1:2-4)

          This summer probably qualifies as trials of many kinds. How’s your joy? I’m not asking if you’re delighted with everything that’s going on. I read a description of joy as being a firm conviction that one is cared for. Do you believe God cares for you? Do you have a deep conviction that God cares for you as you are facing the many trials of the COVID-19 pandemic and political unrest?

          If I think about it, I recognize God’s care in my life. He has been generous beyond measure. I am not privileged, I am blessed. But I don’t think about it enough. What I think about instead is the trials. Even when I look beyond my pity party and recognize them as trials, I don’t think in terms of the perseverance, or maturity, or completeness. I tend to just think about the trials.

          The other day, Grace and I walked a different route that happened to bring us through a park a short distance from home. I’d heard a rumor about the park, and I discovered it is true. They have a pile of compost available for city residents. This morning, I began the process of bringing small amounts home in pails, so I don’t have to wash the truck bed and so I don’t have to get help getting it out of the truck. I’m feeling cared for, today.

          That probably sounds foolish and trivial to most people, but I’ll need compost next spring when it comes time to plant my gardens again, especially if I decide to expand my garden so I can grow more, preserve more, and share more. It might be foolish for me to see great care in such trivial stuff, but maybe if we opened our eyes, and saw care in these trivial things, we might not struggle so much with the idea that we are cared for when the trials come.

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