By Phil Hodges
Co-founder of the Lead Like Jesus movement
“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” James 1:2-3 (NRSV)
"All news is good news in Jesus Christ." Charlie “Tremendous” Jones
Surviving tough times is both a worthy and necessary objective. But it is only part of the story. Here is a starter list on how and why tough times can be a blessing in disguise for which we can give thanks.
Tough times can be a blessing if —
We take less for granted;
We are driven to our knees more quickly;
Our prayers take on new urgency;
As our trust in man is shaken we turn back to God;
We are challenged into sharing instead of hoarding resources;
We reminded of the basics of faith and hope in Christ as an antidote to fear and despair;
We are propelled into action;
We grow in empathy borne of experience;
We see the choices more clearly between retreating into isolation and reaching out in community.
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