Monday, October 15, 2012

Joy despite...

As I was driving to school the other day, I pulled up beside a mom who always has a smile upon her face.  She drives a beautiful car, has beautiful kids, has a rich and successful husband and does not work outside of her home.  Admittedly, I felt envious for a fleeting moment.  Then I thought, if I had all those things (I do have the beautiful kids!), I would always have a smile on my face also.  Life would be so easy.  Obviously, there may be much more to this woman's story than meets the eye.  Everyone has their struggles.  But somehow it dawned on me that I would not be stretched to grow if I was given an easy path.  I would not have to struggle daily to trust God for one thing.  The place God has me right now is total dependence on God for every little thing.  I can take nothing for granted.  It is much harder to put a smile on my face when I don't know how we are going to pay our mortgage this month, or what we will do for our retirement (savings = 0).   I need and desire to learn joy despite my challenging circumstances.  This is true joy.  This is true freedom.  Each and every day of my life of strain, trial and struggle is an opportunity to look to my Maker, to surrender, to trust.  How much more blessed I will be if I learn this lesson in the midst of darkness, as opposed to when things are sailing.  Joy despite... that is my prayer for today.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the beautiful sharing of struggle.

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