Last night the power was out. It isn’t unusual for the power to go out but usually after a little while it kicks back on again. Last night was different. The power went out in the afternoon and is still off today. Yesterday was also the hottest day we’ve had so far. I don’t know what the temperature was but this time last week I was experiencing a New England winter. I suspect the heat feels hotter to me than it would if I’d had a gradual spring to get used to it. So last night it was very hot. We have slept each night with fans blowing on us so last night was our first really hot night. I don’t know how you are, but I have trouble sleeping when I’m hot. At the firehouse we would keep the bedroom COLD. No matter the temperature outside, you’d need to get all the way under the covers to sleep well. That’s what I’d prefer. But last night we lay awake on top of our covers, under our mosquito nets with sweat dripping off our faces.
I can only remember one other time in my life where I was that hot sleeping. Two summers ago we drove cross-country as a family to go to Lorna’s friend Holly’s wedding in New Mexico. I had the bright idea of camping most nights to have some family togetherness and save on hotels. Well, one night in Oklahoma we pulled into a state park and pitched our tents. It was pretty hot but I figured it would cool off when the sun went down. I don’t know if it did or not but it was too hot to sleep. I remember that same feeling of laying there with sweat pouring off my face. That night in Oklahoma I wasn’t taking it very well. I was irritable and I felt trapped. I wanted to go get in the car and drive around all night with the A/C on (but I didn’t think that would be fair to my family that I’d stuffed in these oven bags to save a few bucks). After about an hour the heavens opened up and rain poured forth. The temperature dropped 20 degrees and we had a pleasant night. But that hour still lingers in my mind.
Last night I had a really good attitude about things. Laying there with sweat pouring off my face and my eyes closed, there was really no difference between the two situations externally, but this time I was at peace. The one and only difference was my perspective.
What should our perspective be towards hardship?
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
– James 1:2-4
James tells us to “count it all joy”. That can be really hard. Trials are at best annoying and at worst debilitating. But we are to count it ALL joy to bring us to completion. What a challenge. I’m grateful that my “trial” was merely being warm. But striving to maintain the right attitude and perspective during even the little trials will help us when we face life’s greater challenges. We serve a savior who was perfected through suffering (Heb 2:10). Yet he never wavered from His desire to do God’s will even when it was hard. Luke 9:51 teaches “Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” What was in Jerusalem? Rejection. Betrayal. Torture. Humiliation. But he went forth steadfastly. Because it was God’s will. In Luke 22:44 our Lord, praying at Gethsemane, had sweat fall to the ground as great drops of blood. He was in anguish. Why? He was going forward to his death. He was asking for the cup of suffering to be removed from Him but only if it was God’s will. Praise God that He willingly submitted to be our propitiation that we might have life.
How about you? What does it take to set you off? What causes you to stress and get all bent out of shape? Traffic? (inconvenience) Weariness? Pain?
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
For further study see:
Jeremiah 12:5, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Peter 1:6-9, Isaiah 48:10, 2 Cor 4:16-18 Romans 5:3-5
Followers of the Way Kampala 