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     You rejoice, though now for a little while, as was necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,

so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1:6-7

Heavenly Father, this is an awesome perspective-giving Scripture. I’m embarrassed to even speak of my irritants as “trials,” because I didn’t go to sleep hungry or thirsty last night. I didn’t hear gunfire echoing through my neighborhood, and there’s no medical plague pillaging my community.

I don’t live with the fear of my loved ones being sold into slavery, and my government demanding I renounce faith in Jesus. These are realities with which many of our brothers and sisters in Christ live on a daily basis. For me, the “trials” I have are more like wading in a pool of tiny circumstantial-piranha, nibbling away at my joy, energy, and peace.

But I still need your grace, Father. Help me honor you in the daily-ness of life, in a body with aging joints and a leaky memory. May I love well among fellow sinner-saints who, like me, have common stressors and whine-worthy stories.

Free us to keep a core of peace when cars, plumbing, air-conditioners break; when people don’t say “thank you,” pets pee on the carpet, and flights are delayed; when the dry-cleaners lose a skirt or shirt, the dew-point is unbearably high, or dear friends move several states away.

Father, in all the ordinary disappointments and to-be-expected inconveniences of life, we want to honor you. We want to be kind, not crusty; “rolling with the punches,” not rolling our eyes. By your grace, turn our gripes into gratitude, and our irritation into adoration. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.

 

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