I was worried.  The roads were slick and my newly licensed granddaughter needed to drive her little sister to school.  Husband offered to come and take little sister to school, but older granddaughter declined.  Quoting from her text, “Don’t worry!  I got this!”

Over the course of several snowy days and lots of worry, I decided I’d better come to grips with the situation.  I tried to look at it from a different perspective.  What is the Lord doing in this situation?  Instead of looking at it with fear, I wanted to see it as God at work.  Suddenly, a light bulb went off.  What if God is maturing my older granddaughter by giving her opportunities to take responsibility?  What if he is giving her challenges so that she grows?  Hmmmm.  Didn’t he do the same for me as a young person?  Doesn’t he want all his children to mature?  Without challenges, how will we grow?  

“Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.”  Daniel 12:10

Yesterday I was talking with a dear friend who is an educator as is her husband.  She told me that they have to deal daily with kids who lack character because their parents do everything for them.  Their parents hover, over-parent, micro-manage, and do things for them they should do themselves.  Parental over support actually disempowers their children.  This produces children who are dependent, entitled, unmotivated, irresponsible, and resentful of their parents.  I thought of my sixteen-year-old granddaughter being stretched by new responsibilities.  Yes, her character was being built.  She isn’t entitled or irresponsible.  She is dependable and hard working.  Thank you, Lord, for putting challenges in her path!

“when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.  For you know that 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 perfect and complete, needing nothing.”  James 1:2-4

So how does this relate to your life, dear Reader?  Simply this; when hard circumstances arise in your life, you have a choice.  You can approach them with fear and anger.  “What if?”  “Why did this have to happen?”  Or you can look for God in your circumstances.  “What might God be doing through this?  What can I learn?” 

 “Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.”  Deuteronomy 8:2

If we truly believe that God is a loving parent who has our best in mind, we can relax, and put fear and anger aside.  We can move forward with confidence in the strong Father who is on our side.  I’m learning to almost make a game of thinking of all the positive outcomes that may derive from some of my trying circumstances.  What a change in attitude this exercise brings!  Fear and anger are pushed aside by leaning into my God who is for me and who is in charge. 

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. . . If God is for us, who can ever be against us?”  Romans 8:28, 31

We recently had some financial challenges.  My first response was to be upset and worried as one after another unexpected expense piled up.  But I caught myself in the act of this lack of faith.  Wait a minute!  Do I really believe God is for me and he is powerful?  What might he want to do for me in this trying circumstance?  He might want to provide for me in ways that bolster my trust in him.  Yep.  Sure enough,  the dental specialist offered her services at half price.  If that isn’t a miracle!  He might want to point out something we had overlooked.  Yep.  The heat system that caused that huge electric bill needed repair which was still under warranty.  The cool thing, no pun intended, was that we got to renew contact with the young repairman.  Who gets hugs from their repairman?  (Hint:  someone who gives him cookies.)

“the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials…”  2 Peter 2:9

These are minor annoyances compared to what you may be facing.  But the principle applies to small trials and big ones.  I recently watched a short video of a woman who has been a quadriplegic for 50 years.  She is a beautiful person.  Her Heavenly Father has not forsaken her in her affliction.  In fact, I’d wager that she has become more because of it.  Stronger, more compassionate, deeper faith, more self-controlled, more patient, wiser, in other words, more like Jesus than she would’ve been had she not suffered the injury.  She has offered encouragement, been an example, and tangibly assisted thousands of other sufferers. Even to those of us who have normal bodies, she is a pillar of faith who inspires us.

Let’s remind ourselves that God is for us and he is strong.

“Since he himself (Jesus) has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.”  Hebrews 2:18

But Lord, be merciful to us,
    for we have waited for you.
Be our strong arm each day
    and our salvation in times of trouble.
 The enemy runs at the sound of your voice.
The Lord will be our Mighty One.
 Isaiah 33:2-3, 21