Good Stuff Spirituality
March 22
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops
perseverance.
James 1:2–3
Sarah gave cake and soda to her imaginary friends. Immediately following the
cake came candy; following the candy was punch and cookies. Two hours later,
Sarah, complaining of severe stomach cramps, was suffering from her sugar-
loaded free for all.
Mom, unaware of what had taken place at the party, drove Sarah to the local emergency room. An hour later, with test results in hand, the physician asked, “Does Sarah have a history of diabetes? Her glucose level is pretty high.” Answering in the negative, Mom turned to Sarah and asked if she’d eaten anything following breakfast.
“Just good stuff, Mommy.” She spoke in a low groan. “What good stuff,
Sarah?” she asked. “Cookies, candy, cake, and pop stuff, Mommy.”
“Oh, Sarah! What were you thinking?” The anxiety was evident in Mom’s
voice. The doctor assured her that Sarah would be fine. But she needed to
restrict Sarah’s diet to nourishing, healthy food for a few days.
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Early in our spiritual maturation, we lack understanding. We want the good
stuff all the time. But seeking only God’s blessing is unhealthy. In His wisdom,
he knows better than to pander to our desires. He knows that trials and sorrow
will come. Without the tempering that struggles bring, we would be unable to
face the hard stuff that will come our way.
A baby chick must struggle against the shell while hatching in order to
gain the strength necessary to survive. If the chick is freed from its shell with-
out struggling, it will die. As a loving Father, God allows us just enough strug-
gles to build spiritual strength. Spiritual maturity comes from dealing with life.
The Christian walk is hard stuff; we build muscle by resistance. God would not
deprive us of the deepest relationship possible, and He will not leave us alone
in the battle.
Learning to lean on Jesus builds good stuff spirituality.
Prayer
“God of wisdom. We ask that You hold us as we meet the
hard stuff head on. Teach us to persevere. We want more than
a good stuff relationship with You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”
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