This past weekend the church I am in fellowship with planned a block party. The building is in the inner city and so much goes into planning. Food, activities, music, presentations etc...... Well the promised sunshine did not come and it rained the whole time. I was to do the face-painting (my favorite thing to do...) but as you know, that did not happen. It was not only rainy but very cold. So Sunday a weary group of believers came together to worship and hear the Word of the Lord. As they asked different ones to come up and share testimonies, one spoke very clearly to my heart. He shared that of course there was disappointment about the weather yet the Lord may have wanted us to learn something. Because of the storm there were rough moments with an occasional impatient reaction or a job that may have been easy becoming a chore and hard jobs becoming unbearable. We were cold and wet and trying to remain positive. The scripture he read was....
"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.." James 1:2,3
The bible I carry was my husbands and he had underlined the word, knowing. It jumped out at me....how important is the "knowing" in a trial. What keeps us going when things don't work out as planned or desired. I can say that the "knowing" is what has kept me going. Knowing the Lord loves me, knowing that He has plans beyond what I can see, knowing that He desires to make me like Christ, knowing He will never leave me or forsake me, knowing that there is so much more to life than the moment, knowing.........
What will make us endure is not a trouble free life but one that is grounded in faith, in knowing our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ intimately and thus being at peace in the midst of the storms. My husband was wise to underline that word.....I can say that he understood its importance. Very little really riled my husband to a frazzle, he remained constant and sure of His Lord's love even in the hardest trials we faced. And now I feel the same assurance.........even as I face my widowhood, I know my Redeemer lives and that He lives to bring me to Himself through all circumstances and trials. Knowing brings patience and patience brings perfection, a Christlike nature and I believe that is His first objective...
I am rest in His arms knowing.......................
