Dear Lord Jesus

By Terry Wardle

Dear Lord Jesus, there are times when the struggles seem great. At the very least, tough. Too many, coming too often, bringing too much hassle and grief. So, I turn to your word and these words leap from the page. “Consider it all joy when you face many types of trials…” What does that really mean? I get that the bible repeatedly tells us that trials build perseverance and mature faith. But I have a difficult time wrapping my head, or better said my heart, around the joy thing. At the very least, being thankful would be a great place to start. The hassles, and losses, and trials, and disappointments that the evil one would use to break me, can in your hands be a pathway to my own maturation.

Truthfully, I find that I too easily get lost in the pain, the struggle, the trial. The why, how could they, why this, why now, how long questions. Not bad questions. Certainly honest questions. But staying there only keeps me slogging through the swamp, paying too much attention on the hurt and loss, and little to no consideration of where you are in the midst of it all. But a stance of thankfulness brings a new perspective doesn’t it? It does not negate the need to cry out and grieve the losses. But it moves me beyond to consider that you, Lord, are at work, and that through it all, if I stay surrendered, even things such as these can be used to build my faith, to strengthen my walk, to move me to deeper trust. And so Lord, with that in mind, I want to thank you today for . . . .