Storyz: When Trials Come—–

Crack!

Becca winced as she retracted her fist. Maybe smashing it against the wall hadn’t been a good idea after all. It had only led to nauseating pain, bruised knuckles, and a renewed sense of frustration.

Reaching under her pillow, she brought out her journal.

“Why God?” she scrawled, in no mood to be neat. “Why now? Why, on top of everything else?”

Georgia Mickey was the most annoying kid Becca knew. Despite her big eyes and angelic smile, the little girl had a shrill, demanding voice that had a habit of wailing Becca’s name in the most annoying way possible.

She’d tried to befriend the little girl—after all, who was mean to a toddler—and for awhile, things had gotten better. When Georgia learned that Becca was willing to play with her if she lowered her voice, she reluctantly quieted down.

Over the past few months, they’d developed a semi-normal relationship.

And just when everything seemed perfect, her mom had told her that she would be baby-sitting Georgia every Friday night.

For the rest of the month.

Becca could barely restrain herself for punching the wall again.

Why now?

She could understand Ms. Mickey’s feelings—she couldn’t afford to hire a baby-sitter, let alone daycare—but why did it have to be her?

Just because she could tolerate the little girl didn’t mean she wanted to become her personal nanny.

Of course, her mom had said that the job was optional—but Becca knew that she really didn’t have a choice.

How could she refuse a single mom whose part-time job barely provided clothes and food for her and her daughter?

But still—babysitting Georgia? For a whole month?!

Why had this happened now?

**************

Have you ever wondered why bad things happen? Why problems never seem to cease?

Why God let us go through so many trials?

Oprah Winfrey states, “Without struggles, there is no strength.”

How true.

Would you have learned to run if the only thing you ever did was walk?

Would you have learned to read if you were content with pictures?

Struggles build use, mold us, and shape us until we become the people God wants us to be.

I love the movie, “Evan Almighty,” especially this scene:

Evan’s wife, Joan, is sitting in McDonalds, feeling depressed. Her husband’s name is a source of ridicule, her children are miserable, and she isn’t feeling much better. Then, “God,” disguised as a waiter, comes in.

They start talking, and God says this, “Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?”

All throughout the Bible, there is evidence of God strengthening his people through hardships.

• Noah was asked to build an ark—in a time where there was no such thing as rain.
• Abraham was asked to leave his hometown without knowing where he was going.
• Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, seduced by his master’s wife, and then thrown into prison for a crime he did not commit.
• Moses was asked to go back to his birthplace—where he was wanted for murder—and tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
• David killed a giant. His reward? Saul tries to kill him.
• Peter was accused of knowing Christ on the day he was arrested.

All these people are role models, and we look up to them because of the great things they did for God. They overcame their trials and grew spiritually, changing the world in the process.

Is God strengthening you for a future battle?

When we became Christians, we gave our lives over to God and surrendered ourselves to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 says that, “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son…” (NIV)

God knows that in our present state, we can’t complete the things that he has planned for us. So, like a potter shapes clay, he shapes us through adversity.

Trials will come—but ultimately, if you persevere, they will mold you and shape you until you develop the characteristics of Christ.

**************

“Want to talk about it?”

Becca looked up and saw Pamela Harrison, her youth pastor, standing over her. “Not really,” she replied honestly, “Was it that obvious?”

Pamela gave a small laugh and sat down. “You had a permanent frown etched on your face during service. You sure you don’t want to talk about it? I’d like to help.”

Becca considered Pamela’s offer. For a youth pastor, Pamela was pretty cool, and Becca really needed to vent. “Ok,” she said, and sighed, “It’s about Georgia Mickey—”

As the story came out, Becca felt her frustration grow again. “I mean, I don’t really mind baby-sitting the kid,” she finished, “But why now? I can barely tolerate her now. Why couldn’t it have been when I finally learned to like her?”

“Maybe this is God’s giving you an opportunity to learn to like her.” Pamela had a thoughtful look on her face. “You remember what I talked about tonight?”

“You mean, about God shaping us through trials?” Becca replied, “But this is baby-sitting duty! I doubt my future purpose is going to involve pacifying bratty children and playing candyland.”

“But your future purpose may require patience. Listen, when I was younger, I hated sharing a room with my older sister. She was a neat freak, and would always “clean” my side of the room without my permission. It drove me nuts! But later, when I went to college, I realized that my experience with her prepared me for my roommate, who was a bigger slob than I was. If I hadn’t learned how to share a room with my sister, I never would have survived with Val.”

“Good point.” Becca sighed, “I wish trials weren’t so, so—”

“Difficult? Hard? Trial-like?”

“Ha, ha,” Becca said, but she smiled when she said it.

“So, do you think you’ll baby-sit Georgia?”

“Yeah—I think I will.”