Put on Your Big Girl Boots

We all face challenges. The enormity of it can almost always be determined by your attitude.
Even if you cannot change the size of the problem, you can choose how you will overcome it or walk through it.
1 Peter 4 tells us:

¹² Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you,

as though some strange thing happened unto you:

¹³ But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings;

 that, when his glory shall be revealed,

ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

 

Repeatedly when something life-shattering happens, my first thought is not to rejoice, but to ask, "Why me, Lord?

That is really a form of accusation as if to blame God for allowing it to happen. However, the job description of Satan is to "kill, steal and destroy." So why would I blame God for something the enemy caused?
My friend, Mary Pat, wrote a book, Walking Through Fiery Trials. She lost two sons and her mother in a time span of less than 18 months.

When my daughter was killed in an accident last year, I thought of her and how she handled it. It did not lessen my grief, but it showed me that I could get through it.

During our following 18 months, Ray lost a brother, had another sister very ill. He had to have a quadruple heart bypass which was a huge surprise for us, because he had always been the family Energizer bunny. We thought his slowing down was due to grief.

Three months after the surgery, we moved from the home we thought we would spend our latter years in. A couple of months later Ray lost another brother.

In each case, there was mercy, a measure of time to deal with it.

We never felt the Lord abandoned us, but instead felt a sweet closeness. His provision during that season was exceeding abundantly.

The joy comes not in celebrating the loss. I could never celebrate the loss of our daughter. The joy comes in knowing I will see her again and that in the mean time, He will never leave us nor forsake us.

The joy came when things no longer mattered. Relationships matter. Period.
Every mountain we faced, He gave us the strength to traverse it. He showed us the path to take. Each time he traveled with us. Each time we drew closer.
When you face the mountains of your life, look back to see the ones you thought you couldn't cross, but did, then put your big girl boots on and begin to climb again.