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“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness, have its full effect,  that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 2-4 (ESV)

Many years ago, I had a pastor make a decision concerning me that was hurtful. It was so devastating, there was no way I could stay at that church and sit under his teaching. I left and went to another church. For years I replayed conversations in my head of things I would say to him if I ever saw him again. I had been wronged. I wanted to be vindicated for what he had done. Then one day many years later, I received a phone call from this pastor’s wife. She and her husband both wanted to apologize.

For a year prior to this hurtful thing happening, the Holy Spirit had been prompting me to leave. My husband and sons wanted to leave. We talked, prayed and debated over it for a year. But the hold up was me. Simply because this little church was my “comfort zone.” The people in this church had been more like family to me than my own biological family. This was all I knew. Fear kept me stuck in what was comfortable. Then this thing happened and leaving was the only option. When we started at our new church, my sons and husband fit in immediately. It took me a little longer to adapt. I felt so broken. I didn’t want new relationships I wanted to go back to my old friends and way of doing things

By the time the apology phone call came, I had already made peace with what had been done. An apology wasn’t necessary. While my heart hurt deeply over what had happened, the steadfastness of my walk with Jesus had produced a peace in the pain. In time, I found the strength to reach out to others and start over.

I had come to understand what James was saying.

At the time it wasn’t joyful. My heart broke, and I cried for a long time over it. But years later I could see how I could count that trial as joy because it propelled me to move out of my comfort zone. And once I embraced that trial and significant change in my life, my life changed for the better in ways far too numerous to share. It was a catalyst for growth and a whole new life.

When God tells me to do something now, I do not allow fear to hold me back.

“Father, Your Word tells us our trials have a purpose. Help us to expect trials and when they come to not give up. Remind us that it is okay if we don’t know all the answers because You do. Help us to seek You for wisdom to handle the trials that come our way.” 

For His Glory

Laura Holmes (www.EphraimMinistries.org)
TRBC Women’s Life