Wisdom's Insulation

     Sometimes it would be nice to jump right in and not get wet! And I mean that for more situations than what's depicted in this photo. A little insulation there would help, don't you think?

     Many times in life I've felt the need to be insulated from what's to come. Or, after having taken the leap, wished I had planned ahead with some insulation.
    I don't always think or plan ahead - do you? We can find ourselves in uncomfortable situations wondering, Now what?! Sometimes those situations aren't of our own making, yet we have to live with them. That was my experience once. What then? Just as the diver in the photo, we can be as completely unprotected as she is from the cold of the experience she is about to encounter. Yet if she were insulated in some way she would then be unaffected. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could insulate ourselves from the hardships of life?

     In my experience I found there is an insulation from the hard places in life - a spiritual bodysuit, so to speak - that enabled me to pass through that time in my life unaffected. As a Christian, I put to the test some Biblical wisdom that encourages us to consider those hard times in life as an opportunity for joy (James 1:2-3). Now, there is a conundrum, right? Find joy in hard times? But it's true. We may not be in control of the situation but we can be in control of our attitude. The joy comes in determining I will not allow the situation to dictate or control my attitude toward life.

     I like to think of it as being a spiritual athlete. Athletes who participate in sports build their endurance by putting their strength to the test, over and over again, until they are ready to compete. I view enduring life's hardships no differently. Now, I don't go out looking for ways to strengthen my faith by hunting down hardships and diving into their frigid waters just to put my faith to the test - hardships will find me no doubt - however, I will not allow the tests to rob me of my joy. Therein lies my victory. And with the victory, a stronger faith when the next test comes - and it will. We can't escape them. They are part of life.

     Within the story Benny are messages of victory, endurance and triumphant joy. The battle was real and underneath the outward experience of the physical trial were the efforts in the spiritual realm attempting to rob me of my joy. I determined not to yield - and I won!

     If you know someone who is being tested today, share Benny with them. My prayer is hope can be found...and joy in their own victory.