At what moments did you dig into your faith most deeply? What makes you ask yourself the really probing questions about motive and meaning? We don’t tend to grow when life is a bed of roses. We need ‘boot camp’ experiences to force us out of complacency and into transformation. The moment that recruits arrive for basic training they are scared silly, intimidated, yelled at, awakened in the middle of the night, have their hair cut off…. why? Many reasons, but primary among them is the need to break down their old habits and force a bond to the ‘unit’ into place. And, yes, there is that issue of learning to instantly respond to orders! To those of us on the outside, basic training looks cruel, but ask the soldier in combat and he will be thankful for the trauma that transformed a bunch of kids into a disciplined, military unit.

Jesus frequently allowed his friends to get into a tough spot. He didn’t always protect them from failure or from testing situations. Had he done so, they would have been crippled, turned into dependent childish people, incapable of making hard choices, not knowing the ’stuff’ of which they were made. The Lord took them through basic training so that they would learn to function as Spirit-filled people in this needy world. One stormy night on the Galilee Sea that we learn about in Mark 6, the men who had just witnessed the miracle of the feeding of thousands were bending their backs trying to overcome the wind to get to the other side of the lake, but they couldn’t make any headway. Out of the mists of rain, through the darkness, Jesus came walking across the water. They were terrified until he climbed into the boat with them. Another time they were crossing the lake when a storm kicked up and they thought they would drown…. “Master, don’t you care that we’re about to die?” they screamed. He awakened to say, “Peace, be still.” to the storm and they learned to trust Him a little more that day! Both of these experiences produced awe and deep questions about who Jesus really was. Those questions became fertile soil which nourished the growth of deeper faith!

James 1 is familiar. “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.” (The Message) One might ask, “Is God serious? Why would I welcome tough times as a gift, or as an “opportunity for joy?” (NLT) The short answer is that trauma produces transformation.

Are you in the crucible of life? Is God allowing you to go through trauma right now? By the way, don’t blame all of your trauma on the Lord. Sometimes we stupidly, sinfully, or short-sightedly bring down the roof on our own head! Peter practically reminds us that “It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad.” (1 Peter 3:17, The Message) But, he comforts us by saying that “if you find life difficult because you’re doing what God said, take it in stride. Trust him. He knows what he’s doing, and he’ll keep on doing it.” (1 Peter 4:19, The Message)

It is hard not to complain when you’re getting melted in the fire, but pray for the ability to faithfully welcome the challenge as an opportunity to grow. Here’s a word from the Word for this day: “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.” (I Cor. 10:13 The Message)

- Blog by Pastor Jerry Scott – read more of Pastor Scott’s blogs here