Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. -James 1:12

Have you ever experienced one of those stormy seasons where you get slammed again and again, not knowing what will hit you next? You know the saying-when it rains it pours. Well, we’ve been caught in a torrential downpour. It has literally been one thing after the next. I’ll give you the shortened version…Over the past couple of months, our car engine blew in our nearly new and only vehicle due the fault of an auto body shop that didn’t replace our oil plug properly. While trying to figure out how this was going to be fixed, our rental car was suddenly pulled. The owner of the auto body shop decided he was no longer at fault and so refused to further pay for the rental. We were left to tow our car 300 miles away to be fixed, footing the bill for this and the new rental car, which cost thousands of dollars out of pocket. At the time we were dealing with our car, we ran into problems with our septic system. That same week, we experienced a 5.9 earthquake. Shortly afterwards, our daughter was diagnosed with asthma. In addition, we ended up making two trips to the ER that were totally unrelated. Our youngest, also began having heart issues and was recently fitted with a Holter monitor. Furthermore, last week, I slipped on the ice, tweaking my back and knee. It didn’t stop there though. This past weekend, we noticed our tire in our rental car had a slow leak. Then, last night, I severely blistered my hand cooking dinner. And through it all, God has been speaking.

ENDURE-That’s the word that has appeared in my Bible reading numerous times over the past two months. According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, endure means “to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding though it is difficult” and “to undergo especially without giving in.” Remain firm. These are the words that penetrated my soul. So how do we do that when we are getting drenched? We persist, remaining steadfast in Jesus. He is unwavering, the One that is steady. He is our Rock. In 1 Corinthians 15:58, Paul says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain.” Therefore, we don’t give up. We don’t give in. Rather, we continue to persevere, putting one foot in front of the other, walking in faith, with our hope grounded in Him and our focus on the eternal, doing everything for the glory of God. And…let us not forget to dance in the rain, remembering to be joyful because despite the challenges and hardships we may face, this is the day that the Lord has made!

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. -1 Peter 1:6