Count it All Joy!

"Count it all joy, 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

This week, God has answered one of my most ardent requests. I got a job! I am now a cashier at Target! And I am super excited! I've been looking for a job for 6 months. And it was a very long time to wait. There were times that I just felt so discouraged and useless and very rejected. I can't even count how many applications I filled out, and I was pretty down on myself. Looking back on those months and months of rejection, I can see what God was trying to teach me.

1. Patience. I am just not a very patient person. I can be patient with other people, but very rarely with myself. I want things to go smoothly for me, so I can get right down to it, without much pain or frustration. Unfortunately, that just doesn't happen in real life. So learning to "go with the flow", and taking my trials and frustrations to God are CRUCIAL. He promises that He will work all things together for good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). He doesn't promise that the good will come without hardship, but that it will come. Maybe not even until our eternal reward in heaven, but we can be assured that He will keep His promises. 
2. Trust. As I've said before, I have trust issues. I like to be in control, and that doesn't leave much room for letting Someone else control my life. But I was forced to do that in these past months. I had virtually no control over the decisions that were made. All I could do was show up and be myself, and pray that my personality fit their criteria. There were so many times before an interview that my hands were shaking so hard, and I couldn't control it, and God calmed me enough to get through the interview. (Oddly enough, I was completely calm for the Target interview...) I had to give it all to Him, and, in the end, it worked. It made me realize that nothing I did on my own could ever measure up. Only through Christ working through me am I ever able to do anything! Philippians 2:13 says "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." 
3. Priorities. I was listening to a sermon by John Pope, pastor of Refuge City Church (check them out on Facebook or their website if you haven't already... Amazing group of people!), and he made a point saying that when you value anything over Christ, it will inevitably lead to disappointment. Because nothing but Christ can truly satisfy and fulfill your expectations. Drugs, sex, alcohol, shopping, and even an unhealthy desire for a job will eventually lead to disappointment and depression. Not saying that getting a job is bad, it's not! But looking at it through the world's perspective, without an eternal, God-soaked perspective will only lead to depression. But Christ can never disappoint. 
4. Perseverance. This was a key lesson Christ taught me through this trial. There were so many times that I wanted to give up and just stop looking and stop filling out applications, because it never seemed to get anywhere. But God gave me the strength to keep going, and keep struggling. And it resulted in an eventual job! 

It was a hard chapter in my life, but all chapters come to an end, and there is always a "happily ever after" for Christians. If there were no struggles, the story wouldn't be as interesting, you wouldn't learn, and Christ would not be glorified. So be encouraged, if you're going through a difficult chapter. There's a light at the end of the tunnel! Christ has not forsaken you, and He promises that He never will! This trial will come to an end, as all trials do, and you will be able to look back and appreciate what God has accomplished.