Once again, Five Minute Friday has rolled around again. The rules are simple. We write for 5 minutes on the word prompt. If we must edit, we do very little (sorry, I can’t send this out with misspellings.) We link to her 5 minute Friday page. Then, most important of all, we must stop to visit the person ahead of us and leave her an encouraging word.
It’s a fun exercise and a great way to get to know other women. Come join us! The word for today? WELCOME!
GO
When I saw the word for today, this phrase popped into my head, “…Welcome them as friends.” I knew it was from Scripture, somewhere…but I was afraid it was from a modern translation. Sure enough, it was. Actually, an old “modern” translation.
Here is the verse:
When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives
my brothers (and sisters),
don’t resent them as intruders,
but welcome them as friends!
Realise that they come to test your faith and
to produce in you the quality of endurance.
James 1:2 (J.B. Philips)
The picture of trials and temptations coming and crowding into my life and I’m hugging them and greeting them joyfully, saying, “Thank you. Thank you for coming. I’m so grateful you are here!” It creates a picture in my mind that is difficult to remove…and seems incongruous at the same time!
The only way I can welcome those trials as friends is because I am a runner (no, not in real life) who needs to develop spiritual endurance. The only way endurance will develop is through these trials and temptations.
This is part of what walking by faith is all about. We don’t always know the why’s of what is happening, but we know the who behind it all and He is guiding us lovingly.
I guess that is what walking by faith is all about, isn’t it? I can only recognize them as friends because I know that GOD is using each one of these things in my life to build me up and help me endure.
I hope you will find ways to welcome these trials into your life as friends that you can embrace.
To GOD be the glory!
STOP
thanks for visiting tobi:) i hope we’ll be seeing more of each other. i love the photo you had for your welcome fmf post. so cool! i identify with your comments there too.
Oh Martha, and it’s a day of thanks to even know what you know! Thank you for the testimony that trials can be embraced because of the faith we have in Him. I have too many people I love who don’t know this friendship. We may run with adversity, but at least we can run. My loved ones who don’t know Him can barely stand beneath theirs. It is indeed a day to rejoice. Thank you for your words and the direction you lead in the run. Visiting from FMF today. Blessings!