As I sit and have my cup of coffee with Jesus on this beautiful Friday morning, I’m reflecting on a quote I read, it’s from Mrs. Charles Cowman book “Streams in the Desert”. “The meaning of trial is not only to test worthiness but to increase it; the Oak is not only tested by the storms, but it is toughened by them”.
Whatever trials we feel we’re going through right now we need to focus. The pandemic makes us rethink the way we were living. It has made us slow down hopefully, forced us to spend more time with our family and the simple things of life. It can make us stronger, more creative, and hopefully more spiritual.
When we are forced to deal with death of someone we care about and loved, we are forced to also see the pain. It can be overwhelming… love and pain go hand-in-hand. My friend Fran shared something she read about childbirth. The pain of delivery goes away when that child is held by its parents for the first time. You cannot love your husband for 70 years, like my friend Rosemary and not experience the pain of his passing. Pain and love go together.
So, if we can embrace the trials, we have and trust that they are making us stronger (like the oak), we grow closer to God. He is preparing us for a new earth. A new life where pain and love will explode together, and the universe will finally be at peace and all will come to be one with God.
So, when you embrace the pain of whatever trial you’re going through today, don’t ignore the love that came with the pain. The cross brought about the resurrection. You can handle it, you’re not alone, HE sent the Holy Spirit to show you the way.