Front Porch Stories: Trying to Stay Steadfast
By KATHY BOHANNON, Special to The Coweta Shopper
I’m going through some trials. I’m sure most of you are as well. So many confusing, heart wrenching, hard-to-comprehend situations across the world, the nation, our communities, our friends and families.
But nothing is new. Though situations can be uncharted territory for each of us, they aren’t a surprise to God. If I have a goal in this, it is to remain steadfast. I would love to say I’m never rattled, shocked or hurt, but that would not be the truth. I am not, and haven’t always been steadfast in my faith. When trials hit and pull at my most fragile edges, I react. Do I fall to my knees and pray? Honestly, most of the time, no. I get angry. I cry. I go to bed and try to sort out the A to Z of the situation, using my own understanding, my own experience, my own comprehension.
As Dr. Phil McGraw says, “How’s that working for you?”
It doesn’t work and has never worked for me. I believe the only way I could be the kind of person with total acceptance and steadfast faith would be if I were in a constant state of prayer, with no distractions, surrounded by others in the same light. In scripture we find that Job went through trials that were beyond human comprehension. There’s a whole book in the Bible that illustrates his life, his losses and the advice of his closest friends. Job was as broken as a human can be, yet he remained steadfast. When tragedy struck, he didn’t wallow in it, he took it to God.
Measured by the standards of Job, I’m a wallower. I’m thankful to know that although it takes me a hours or days, I eventually take it to God.
And the peace! Y’all. I’m not even kidding. The PEACE that God provides never fails to make me wish I was the kind of woman who didn’t suffer with what I perceived as my very own exclusive pain with my very own exclusive solutions.
Each one of us, believers or not, are children of God. Knowing the love that I have for my children, I cannot imagine the love God has for us, nor can I begin to understand the pain He has when we are hurt or separated from Him.
God answers prayers. He does. But I realize that the answer I want is with limited knowledge. What I want may not be what He wants for me. And honestly, if God doesn’t want it for me, I don’t want it at all.
James 1:2-3 says, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Scripture doesn’t say when we will count it all as joy, although my impatient nature wants the heartache to go away now. I have to leave my burdens at the foot of the cross in steadfast love and trust. During the trials I am to be patient for God’s direction so I may know His plan for me.
If it’s not from God, I don’t want it. I don’t want my own concoction of solutions to soothe the pain. I don’t want my plans to move forward even an inch without God. It’s not always easy, this world we live in but there’s a plan beyond anything we can perceive and I believe in the perfect plan of God.
Kathy Bohannon is an inspirational Christian speaker and humorist. She can be reached at [email protected].
