Dancing Through the Trials of Life
"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
Sally Clarkson writes in her book "Dancing with My Father" - "Life has been so much harder than I ever thought it would be as a child!" I concur!
As she explored the verses in James above she found these nuggets of truth - "These verses focus more on developing internal righteousness and character. The testing James referred to is more of a practice and exercise of skill and strength, an external ability. In other words, we may make a commitment in our hearts to love Jesus and to follow him, but there come contests, so to speak, in our lives in which we have the opportunity to show and to prove the reality of our faith by our actions and our behavior. Only then is our faith worth something, and only then do we reap the benefit of our faith. When we pass through these trials, they become a source of joy. It is our greatest opportunity to serve God with solid faith, loyal love, and generous humility. . . God places training tests in our lives to allow us to exhibit our true character and skill." (pp. 70-71)
It is in our trials that "we show what we are really made of, how strong and skillful at living for Christ we have become. . . God is not so much concerned with my immediate gratification as he is with the development of my soul." (pp. 72-73)
"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amidst joy." - Felicia Hemans
"The question in our lives is not, 'Will we have tests?' Instead the question becomes, 'How will we respond to the tests life brings?'" (pp. 74)
"Often it seems we would rather have another life - any life - than our own. Somehow we think if we lived a different life, it would be easier for us to grow in faithfulness and spiritual character. Yet is is in accepting today with all of its issues, in accepting God's will and training grounds that we learn the secret joy in his presence. It is in being faithful to our own set of tests that we become mature and fitted for the ministry he has called each of us to accomplish." (p. 75)
"Our integrity as people of God will come by walking the path that he has given to us. We will not have this fulfillment, satisfaction, or joy if we compromise our ideals and resist the tests that God puts in our pathway."
"The key to joy in the midst of trials is in knowing and believing that God is always good. Always. I must remember and choose to believe that he is working even when I can't see him; that this test is the work of my life - my opportunity to have a testimony or story of his faithfulness. Then each day, each minute, I must turn my heart toward praise, thanksgiving, and rest, knowing that God is producing in me the character of Christ." (pp. 77-78)
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. . . We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world." -Helen Keller (p. 79)
"I feel that I am more the person I want to be because of the many tests of my life." (p. 80) Amen!
"Dear Heavenly Father,
You are a good father and committed to excellence in my life. Open my eyes that I may see what is really taking place in my heart. Help me to be committed to the long-term pathway of facing my tests and trials with strength and the knowledge that it is in my every day where greatness of soul is being shaped. Help me to learn to accept with joy the life you have given me. I love you. In Jesus' name I come." (p. 83)
- "Dancing with My Father; Sally Clarkson
501. Air conditioning
502. Grocery shopping. . . Alone!
503. Spontaneous movie rental on a Monday!
504. Beautiful moth
505. Seeing the birds enjoy the feeders
506. Bowling fun with the kids
507. Good school day
508. Free gift card!
509. Quiet. . . Aaaahhhh
510. Cat nap
511. Party planning secrets
512. A clean house. . . For energy to get it all done
513. Cold ice water
514. A thank you from my daughter
515. A hug from my son
516. My mother-in-law’s heart to help others
517. Bedtime!
518. Help from my daughter without being asked.
519. A neighbor to lend a hand
520. My mom’s heart to bring other’s happiness
521. Volleyball season for my girl - families old and new; the familiar and the surprise
522. Laughing together as a family
523. Good discussion with my girl on obedience
524. Enjoying laughs over a TV show with my hubby
525. A timely delivery of something fun!
Sally Clarkson writes in her book "Dancing with My Father" - "Life has been so much harder than I ever thought it would be as a child!" I concur!
As she explored the verses in James above she found these nuggets of truth - "These verses focus more on developing internal righteousness and character. The testing James referred to is more of a practice and exercise of skill and strength, an external ability. In other words, we may make a commitment in our hearts to love Jesus and to follow him, but there come contests, so to speak, in our lives in which we have the opportunity to show and to prove the reality of our faith by our actions and our behavior. Only then is our faith worth something, and only then do we reap the benefit of our faith. When we pass through these trials, they become a source of joy. It is our greatest opportunity to serve God with solid faith, loyal love, and generous humility. . . God places training tests in our lives to allow us to exhibit our true character and skill." (pp. 70-71)
It is in our trials that "we show what we are really made of, how strong and skillful at living for Christ we have become. . . God is not so much concerned with my immediate gratification as he is with the development of my soul." (pp. 72-73)
"Strength is born in the deep silence of long-suffering hearts; not amidst joy." - Felicia Hemans
"The question in our lives is not, 'Will we have tests?' Instead the question becomes, 'How will we respond to the tests life brings?'" (pp. 74)
"Often it seems we would rather have another life - any life - than our own. Somehow we think if we lived a different life, it would be easier for us to grow in faithfulness and spiritual character. Yet is is in accepting today with all of its issues, in accepting God's will and training grounds that we learn the secret joy in his presence. It is in being faithful to our own set of tests that we become mature and fitted for the ministry he has called each of us to accomplish." (p. 75)
"Our integrity as people of God will come by walking the path that he has given to us. We will not have this fulfillment, satisfaction, or joy if we compromise our ideals and resist the tests that God puts in our pathway."
"The key to joy in the midst of trials is in knowing and believing that God is always good. Always. I must remember and choose to believe that he is working even when I can't see him; that this test is the work of my life - my opportunity to have a testimony or story of his faithfulness. Then each day, each minute, I must turn my heart toward praise, thanksgiving, and rest, knowing that God is producing in me the character of Christ." (pp. 77-78)
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. . . We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world." -Helen Keller (p. 79)
"I feel that I am more the person I want to be because of the many tests of my life." (p. 80) Amen!
"Dear Heavenly Father,
You are a good father and committed to excellence in my life. Open my eyes that I may see what is really taking place in my heart. Help me to be committed to the long-term pathway of facing my tests and trials with strength and the knowledge that it is in my every day where greatness of soul is being shaped. Help me to learn to accept with joy the life you have given me. I love you. In Jesus' name I come." (p. 83)
- "Dancing with My Father; Sally Clarkson
501. Air conditioning
502. Grocery shopping. . . Alone!
503. Spontaneous movie rental on a Monday!
504. Beautiful moth
505. Seeing the birds enjoy the feeders
506. Bowling fun with the kids
507. Good school day
508. Free gift card!
509. Quiet. . . Aaaahhhh
510. Cat nap
511. Party planning secrets
512. A clean house. . . For energy to get it all done
513. Cold ice water
514. A thank you from my daughter
515. A hug from my son
516. My mother-in-law’s heart to help others
517. Bedtime!
518. Help from my daughter without being asked.
519. A neighbor to lend a hand
520. My mom’s heart to bring other’s happiness
521. Volleyball season for my girl - families old and new; the familiar and the surprise
522. Laughing together as a family
523. Good discussion with my girl on obedience
524. Enjoying laughs over a TV show with my hubby
525. A timely delivery of something fun!
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