"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold..." 1 Peter 1:6,7
On April 3, Kate Fletcher, an 11th grade English teacher in Louisa, Virginia set out to teach her students a lesson about overcoming that they will never forget. You see, rather than telling her students about the benefits of persevering and pressing on through hardships, she showed them. Shortly after 6 a.m., Kate began a 50 mile race deemed the Lion Pride Run and was joined by teachers, students and other community members who took turns accompanying her around the school's track. Completing the race in nine hours and 12 minutes, Fletcher said she did it to teach the most important lesson any of her students could ever learn, "You can find strength—and even joy—in tackling adversity."
And you know, Fletcher is right. You can find strength, and even joy, when dealing with pain and hardship when you realize the benefits of it. Peter knew it when he wrote, "There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials". You see he realized that for faith to be tested, a person would have to test it. And just as an athlete's training can only be tested on the race course and shown by the results, these times when we either give up in the midst of trouble or trust God and press on, are the only tests that can prove whether our "faith is genuine." You see it's only by putting someone under strain that strengths and weaknesses are revealed.
So today, if you're facing adversity, sorrow, suffering or troubles of any kind, "be truly glad". In fact be overjoyed knowing that these trials won't last forever and that your faith will be even stronger as a result of it. And the best part is, you just might teach others something in the process that would lead them to Christ.
Heavenly Father, thank you for promising to always be with us. Although we may not understand why we suffer sometimes, help us to understand that we will always be stronger because of it if we stay faithful and keep trusting in you. Knowing that, help us to choose joy no matter what's happening in our lives. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
Joy - Rend Collective
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