This week we have looked at the three scary possibilities that seem possible when we are facing a challenge. But there is in fact a 4th possibility. I didn't think of this possibility, it was suggested to me by the quiet inner voice that I have come to recognise as the Spirit of God, right after I had finished outlining to him in prayer the original 3 possibilities.
'Or, Sheila' he said 'You might just grow up'.
To be honest with you had it been anyone else who'd made this suggestion, I'd have poked them in the eye (or at least I'd have felt like doing so). In fact, I wasn't that impressed even to hear it from God. I would have preferred him to have said something along the lines of 'Goodness me, that's a very difficult challenge, poor you. Here's an unexpected windfall, take two weeks off and go to Barbados'. *Sighs* God never says those kind of things, not to me anyway!
But there you go, he's probably right, isn't he always? Any and every challenge affords us the opportunity to grow. And we only have two choices: take it or leave it. We can become bitter and angry and waste the opportunity to grow or we can say 'Right, what can I learn from this? How can I grow as a person? How can I turn this to good?'
This is why James told us to 'count it all joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds' Why? 'Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything' James 1:2-5
The reality for all of us is that 2013 will most likely be a mixture of all the possibilities (hopefully not too much of possibility 1 or possibility 3) but maybe, by the grace and presence of God, possibility 4 will prevail.
With love
Sheila Bridge
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