Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds… (James 1:2). I used to read that Scripture and think it sounds good, yet, I don’t consider it joyful when I face trials. For me, I wanted to do everything possible to avoid trials. I would get angry, fearful and sad… none of those come close to joy. Now, perhaps when I got through the trial, I would look back and see that there was benefit; however, if I could have taken an easier route and learned the same thing, I’d go for easy.
Recently, I have started to have a different relationship with my trials. I like how the Scripture says “consider it pure joy”. It doesn’t say “you have to feel pure joy” when you go through a trial. It helps me to realize that I may feel many different emotions while experiencing a trial, yet, because of what that trial produces, I consider it pure joy. I started applying this in my self talk. I started saying thank you when things got hard. I started saying things like, “after my greatest challenges come my greatest victories!”. It helped me to focus on the reason for the trial and not the trial itself.
A few weeks ago, I made the decision to take some time off from weight training at the gym. I am still hiking, I just haven’t been adding the extra trip to go lift weights. To substitute, I added wrist and ankle weights to my hike. I use 2.5 pounds on each wrist and 5 pounds on each ankle, so I’m hiking with an additional 15 pounds of weight. Let me tell you, the first day was hard! I was so out of breath and when I got to my turn around point I collapsed on the ground for 5 minutes before starting back down.
When I got back home I took off the weights and when I started walking again I felt like I was floating. It was effortless and it even felt odd. Not that walking is that difficult in the first place (unless I’m really tired); however, after taking off those weights it was more like gliding for awhile. It occurred to me that trails are like those weights. We go through them and they feel really hard, yet, when we get to the other side, we have been trained and that aspect of life becomes better.
I’m on week two of my wrist and ankle weights. This week I am going a little further each day. I must look funny with those weights on my ankles because I walk a little funny, yet, I feel that sense of accomplishment when I am able to go further than the day before with the added weight. And yes, it’s still hard, just not as hard as it was the first day. I would bet that after I do this for a couple of months it won’t be this hard. It won’t feel like I have those weights on. Just like our trials, I am being conditioned for a higher level of physical exertion. It isn’t easy, yet it produces elevated health and confidence.
I feel like lately I’ve been going through multiple trials at the same time. The one that sticks out the most is facing my unwillingness to move in to the place that God is calling me. I was so excited last month and then I started living my calling and I got scared. I mean really scared. I froze. You would think that success would inspire me to go deeper, yet, I didn’t. I backed away and stopped for awhile. I felt like I wanted to escape. I started doubting that I was even on the right track. The vision that seemed so readily at hand disappeared in to a sea of fear, doubt and exhaustion.
Understanding that struggle has been incredible! God has shown me the areas of my life where I try to step out in front and play… yes, God. Or perhaps rescuer. How I tire myself out and then get afraid because I become so self-reliant. How when I people please I am stepping in to disobedience. It’s been good. Why? Because I need this training. I need to face this stuff right here right now. It is what gets in the way of me stepping in to the purpose that God placed in my heart. And though I don’t always enjoy the feelings, I consider it pure joy. I am being strengthened.
What is a trail that you are facing right now?
