Is Trouble a Blessing?

"WOW!" I said out loud as I sat dumfounded sipping tea with my husband at Jamani Java the other day. A flood of thoughts poured into my mind that brought a new revelation about something I have been struggling with recently. My thought process was like this...

Having right thinking is vital in anything I do, any goal I have or any longing to make a situation better. When I feel badly about a situation it profoundly effects how I think about almost everything else in life.

I continued to roll these ideas around in my head and even thought about my last post...

On days when I especially don't feel like exercising, so many times I simply change my thinking and fill my mind with everything that is good about exercising and soon I am ready to not only get out for my daily run but to add an extra mile and push myself harder. I love how I feel when I'm done... the satisfaction of accomplishment and and every good thing I just did to add years to my life. The physical benefit spills over with endless reward. There is good result!

Why can't I take this passion I have in the physical realm of my life and begin to apply it to my relational life and maybe other areas too? Why does it seem harder for me in other areas? I can perservere physically most of the time no problem. I want to use this same principle with my relationships and see what happens. If my attitude stinks toward my family or friends because a relationship is strained or doesn't feel so good I can choose to change my thinking about it and do the good thing anyway, BELIEVING it makes a difference and will bring a healing effect OR I can sulk and dwell on negative patterns of thinking, do nothing and suffer further strain and harm in the realtionship.

(I realize this might be a no-brainer for you because it is something I too have know for years but it was especially eye-opening for me the other day).

My thought process continued... I must believe that the good and right choices I make especially in my relationships, even when I don't feel like it... no, ESPECIALLY when I don't feel like it... are accomplishing GREAT GOOD deep in the fibers of those relationships. It might not always feel good and I might not always see everything good that is happening but I MUST BE, AND CAN BE SURE that the good thing IS happening and accomplishing a beautiful healing effect. If consistent... the same way consistent exercise produces good health physically so consistent right choices and right thinking about those choices in realtionships will produce vibrant relational health, joy and life that is truly life.

Gods ways are the best ways. Sometimes if I'm honest I don't want to do things God's way, especially if I'm hurt or angry. When we slip and fall into our own ways (and isn't it interesting that we sometimes don't even see it coming) God can use those hard things to bring deeper meaning to life. As a wise person said to me... "He can redeem everything and use it for his purpose in greater ways if we let him... if we ASK him to". What hard things are you experiencing today? I hope you will turn it around and ask God what hidden gem is there.

I choose to believe the best today regardless of what hard thing is going on! One day at a time believing that the good choices I make for life are accomplishing MUCH for me and everyone around me! The key for me is BELIEVING!!! The following verse is not a favorite for me but if God gave it and He is good, I choose to rest in it. Let it roll around in your brain a while... I love the way it depicts that work is going on deep inside that we can't entirely see this side of heaven.

James 1:2-4 Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

Considering trouble a blessing... because it is!
Love and hugs!
Donna