It’s tempting to pray that my child has an easy year. But is that God’s way?
James 1:2-4 (NIV)
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.
“Mature and complete,” that’s the goal.
Bring on the challenges, Lord!
Do I want it nice and easy?
Yeah, damn straight, you’ve got it, pard.
Sure, I owe the Lord my fealty,
but does it have to be this hard?
I am sore-challenged to the end,
and round and round and round again,
and though I break I cannot bend,
so once more, the harsh refrain.
I would long for kind and simple days,
though I can’t remember what they are.
All I do is count the ways
of pain, and every red-rimmed scar.
“Scars to stars!”, so they proclaim,
but they do not wear my name.
Methinks, Andrew, hard times in your past have been crucial to the perseverance you show now. Not that I’d wish your illness on anyone; but I pray for others to display the strength you show us daily.
I hope that somehow, that this happening to me means it’s not happening to someone else.
That makes is a burden well worth bearing.