Pruning

There has been a lot going on in our world lately. Needless to say, between seminary, church activities, youth group activities, Land Rover, and finding somewhere to live...our lives have been somewhat hectic! I find myself in a constant state of stress and anxiety from the whirlwind of chaos. There are many emotions felt in a single day and I can hardly keep track of what exactly is going on because it all changes at such a rapid rate. The funny thing is, no matter how much I've freaked out about all the uncertainties, God has been faithful.

Recently in my Sunday School class, we were discussing the idea of God "pruning" us. Pruning is defined as cutting, clearing, ridding, trimming, or removing any needless or undesired twigs, branches, or roots. We talked about how God prunes us each day by putting us through uncomfortable situations that we would prefer to avoid to refine us and develop qualities within us that would never be established without those hardships. There are so many strengths that are developed within us during the struggles that wouldn't be there otherwise. When metal is put under fire, all of the impurities rise up and are released from that metal. Only after being put through the fire is the metal considered refined and purified. Without the seasons of pruning, those undesirable and unwanted qualities would remain within us.

The seasons of pruning can be difficult ones, but they can also be fruitful. I can say that during this stressful season of my life when God is doing things that I do not always understand, I am developing important qualities and I am learning important lessons. I am slowly learning to let go of the reins and to not only trust God wholeheartedly, but also trust the people around me. I am learning to put more faith in others instead of taking control of everything myself. I am also being put to the test as far as unwavering trust and faith goes. I sing songs every day that proclaim my trust that God is in control. I delcare that He holds all things together and that if He will provide for the birds, then surely He will provide for me. But do my actions always demonstrate these words as loudly as my voice does? I'm working on that. I am being given wisdom during these trials, wisdom of how to take care of my family and wisdom of when to let go and let God. God is developing an inner strength within me, the type of strength that doesn't depend on human abilities but depends on and hopes in Him. God is encouraging me to be courageous, to fearlessly stand out when I know that's the right thing to do. He is teaching me to be selfless and to work hard for what I want. He is showing me that there are nice people in this world who will help you out whether they know you personally or not. He is revealing to me that my marriage doesn't have to weaken because of trials, but in fact it can be strengthened. He is developing my prayer life and allowing me to put all of my feelings into words spoken to Him. He is drawing me close to Him and allowing me to feel what it's like to experience intimacy with the Father. He is continually proving to me, "Brittany, I've got this."

God is pruning me, and it's a wonderful, beautiful thing.

Trials and Tribulations

No one likes hardships. They are never fun and never easy. Trials weigh you down and challenge you to rise up despite the weight on you. They force you to see things that maybe you would rather not see. They can tear people apart and allow you to see who that person really is, good or bad. The truth comes out when people are pressured and stressed. Like I said, hard times are never enjoyable for anyone. The question remains, why is it that these times in life are necessary? Why can't we skip just over the tribulations and go straight to the victories?

I feel like a common theme in this blog has been seasons of life. I have been learning more and more about the different seasons and wading my way through each one as it comes along. Recently, Josh and I found out that we will have a lot of changes coming our way: we will be moving soon and Josh is entering his second half of seminary (crazy!). With this news, we have to start thinking about a smorgasbord of different things. We have to start considering the future now more than ever. My head is spinning with a thousand different options and choices that will have to be made. Needless to say, our boat is being rocked. And for some reason, I find myself asking the question of "why?" Why can't we just carry on with our lives the way they are uninterrupted by all these changes? Why can't we put off these decisions until later? Why is this all happening and what good is going to come out of it? Why do we have to go through all this? Just why?

After I am done throwing myself this little pity party, I am always hit with the truth. There is a purpose behind our troubles. At this point in my Christian walk, I know that God is up to something. He has a plan for us in spite of (or maybe using) all these changes and decisions to be made. And His plan is perfect. I believe He is in control, but I find that my actions don't always reflect that. I tend to freak out and try to take matters into my own hands. I have to take a moment to breathe, take a step back, and trust. He is trying to show us something, to teach us something, to refine us into something better. The Bible says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." God tells us to view the struggles we face each day as pure joy. JOY. He tells us to relish in these times knowing that it is producing a steadfast faith within us. He reassures us that there is a purpose behind our suffering.

Trials don't have to be all bad. During the hard times, the best in people can come out. Selflessness and kindness can rise up in those who are hurting. Couples can cling to one another and stick together despite the rough circumstances. The things that are actually important come to light while the stuff that really doesn't matter starts to get dim and fade away. There are many lessons to be learned during these times. You learn a lot about others and a lot about yourself. Trials put everything into perspective. They force us to make a choice: are we going to be selfish and feel sorry for ourselves during this struggle or are we going to trust the One who holds it all together? Are we going to throw ourselves a pity party or try to find the lesson to be learned? Are we going to give up or press on towards our goal? Let God test your faith and let God strengthen it through the tribulations.

During each hardship we face, we have the decision to make. Which perspective will you choose?