Big Like a Hurricane. Small Like a Gnat.

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." -1 Peter 1:6-7 (NIV)

Life is full of trials.  This we all know.  Our trials come in many shapes and sizes and come like waves in and out through the many seasons of life.  It's funny to me how we find our strength.  When a trial of epic proportion hits our lives, we muster up strength we didn't know we had, and although the pain is deep, we somehow make it through the hurricane and look back and realize that wasn't as hard as we thought it would be.  Then, little trials hit our lives.  Little and obnoxious trials that feel and sound like a gnat flying around in our ear.  Sometimes it's the little trials that really get under our skin.  Sometimes the little trials cause us to throw ourselves on the floor and throw a temper tantrum that makes a three year old's tantrum look like a cute gesture compared to ours.  Either way, a trial is a trial and God's Word guarantees us that life is full of them.  But the Lord is clear on how we should handle them.  We are to rejoice and know that each trial increases our faith which is worth more than gold.

Dear Father,
As a mother of three, I am always tired.  My exhaustion is nothing in comparison to what you felt and faced on the cross.  In this phase of life, my trials are in the form of sleep deprivation and frustration as a result of adjusting to life with three kids.  Help me to remember today that when I'm tempted to throw myself on the floor kicking and screaming to instead throw myself upon You.  Give me the strength to rejoice when times get hard and to be ever mindful of my ever growing and ever changing faith.  Just like my faith, You, Father, are worth more than gold.  And I want more of you.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.