how to respond to hardship

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7012

Read this article, then I'll basically restate it in my own words.

You done?

Rejoicing in the midst of struggle. What an odd concept. I am not sure I actually understand it all that well. I immediately think about all of the frustrating times that someone has said to me in the most shallow and condescending way "its all in God's will" following some personal trauma of mine. I still struggle with ever trying to comfort anyone who is sad or angry. I am scared of being that shallow guy.

But what if it doesn't have to be that way? What if we, truly as people of God, can be so transformed that we can actually praise in the midst of struggle. In the face of death say "amen". Sickness? "hallelujah!". Financial hardship? "Praise God!". Does this sound shallow? Maybe...But what if it is the key to victory? I say that my life belongs to God, but so often when tragedy strikes, I can only see my own life, the way this tragedy effects my. In short, the tragedy consumes me, knocks me off track. But to praise God in the midst of the crap? Isn't that the most freeing thing anyone could ever do?

Maybe losing your life to find it makes more sense than I ever thought.


(Sorry I have been silent for so long. It is hard for me to keep up on this kind of stuff. Funny thing though, I feel a lot better when thoughts are able to come out of me and reach the page. I hope this starts a new period of writing for me. So if your still checking this thing, I should post more often from now on.)