Trials

 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. (James 1:2-3)

 

This post is partly a rant or a whine, I suppose, but it was the verse of the day for yesterday on Biblegateway.com and it happens to fit my circumstances. By the time you read it, I’ll be at my table at a craft sale that I set up, but this evening, I’m achy, tired, and frustrated. But I’m basically as prepared as I can be.

So, as I consider the day’s verse, the first idea that needs to be explored is “trials of many kinds.” I’ve probably said before that I tend to think that the “many kinds” means trials as a Christian, not trials as a human being. It’s not talking about the trials of learning how to set up and run a craft sale. It’s not talking about the trials of dealing with other people – some with more experience and definite opinions about how things should work.

And the most frustrating thing about it is that things went much better than I could have dreamed. People showed up and helped, but that meant they expected me to have things figured out – when what I had figured out is that what I had figured out wouldn’t work. But the basic setup was done more than two hours before I thought it would be, and several of the tables (including mine) are almost ready to go.

The problem is one I’ve described before. When  you don’t know the way from point A to point B, it always seems to take forever and no matter how well things go, you feel like you’re getting nowhere.

That’s what’s going on now, and I look at it all and say, “But it’s not a spiritual trial so it doesn’t count.”

          And because it’s not a spiritual trial, faith is not needed. There’s no reason to count it joy… or that’s what I tell myself. There’s perseverance because I’m stubborn. I’m going through it, over it, under it, or around it, but I’m going. And as I go, I’m going to whine and kvetch. What I should be doing is thanking God for all the good that happened, and for how this experience if helping me become more competent and capable.

          And God asks me the question He asked Elijah. “What are you doing here?” (I Kings 19:9) And I haven’t faced the trials Elijah did – I haven’t really faced any trials, but I want to have a pity party, all because my current “trial” doesn’t have the size and shape I think it needs to have to be worthy.

      I’m exaggerating. I feel the need to be a drama queen about it because that will allow it to be an illustration. Maybe I’m wrong, but I suspect we all go through trials that we don’t think are the right sort to be included in the list of those about which we should count it all joy. I suspect we all have times when we want to have a pity party over something small or over nothing. I suspect we all face times when we want to say “Yuck!” or “Failure!” because someone isn’t clapping us on the back and declaring us the winner…but we haven’t reached the finish line.

          I’ve written before about the “Yuck Factor” as something I’ve experienced while doing a craft. I get part way done and want to give up because it’s all horrible. And when I get done with it, it’s pretty good! Well, “Yuck Factors” also show up in other areas of life.

          So, now that I’ve given myself a stern talking-to, I’m going to move on with my day, or get ready to go to bed.