T-R-O-U-B-L-E
I’ve met TROUBLE more than once. In fact, it seems like he/she comes around way too often. I didn’t refer to trouble as “it”, because more often than not, I connect “trouble” to a person. Trouble means “to disturb the mental calm and contentment; worry, distress, agitate, inconvenience, discomfort or disorder”. I don’t usually go looking for trouble – it usually finds me. I remember a song by Travis Tritt, released in 1992. In the song, “Trouble” was a beautiful woman in a dance hall. I think trouble comes in multiple forms, shapes and sizes. I read something in James that made me stop and think about how I view TROUBLE. Check this out…
2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. (James 1:2-4 NLT)
I have never really viewed TROUBLE as a good thing. James tells me that TROUBLE = Opportunity! He says that “trouble” can lead to endurance. So, he welcomes trouble. I’m not quite there yet. I like for trouble to stay outside the door of my life. I feel like, I create enough trouble for myself. I might need to pray more before I can welcome more trouble.
If I start viewing Trouble as Opportunity to display the Gospel in my life, then it becomes a huge benefit to me. Most everyone responds to trouble with dread and disgust. What if I approach it with a totally different place. If I’m filled with Spirit of God, I don’t need to fear T-R-O-U-B-L-E. I can embrace and have it serve a healthy purpose. I’m totally responsible for how I view Trouble, so I think James is on to something.
Today, when Trouble comes – I’m going to see it differently. I’m going to check my attitude and make sure I’m responding rather than reacting. I’m going to seize the opportunity to grow in endurance. I want Christ in me to be displayed with how I handle trouble.
Pressing On!
Dwayne