Accept what happens to you and, in moments of humiliation, be patient. For gold is tried in the fire, and the pleasant ones in the furnace of humiliation.
~ Ecclesiasticus 2: 4-5.
It is a biblical irony of wisdom as a whole to find comfort in the above situation; To be found enduring patiently
We all have our chances. As humble as life is, occasionally we feel deeply humiliated through it, and it may happen to us hundreds of times throughout our lives.
Greater comfort
It is a great message, one that contains much hope, that we are ever closer to the LORD in our support during that furnace of time.
It is an even greater comfort to us to know that during these times it is better to do nothing and simply accept it humbly, whatever happens, without stressing or worrying unnecessarily, because this will only lead to anger (Psalm 37: 8). ), bewilderment and exhaustion.
This is ‘faith’
To do this, we are giving each other great, healthy globules of faith; space to consider what might be far from the safety of a serious place. We do not see it and we hardly believe; We try not to see and be tempted to wait.
And that’s okay, our expectations drop. Expectation is not as important at this time, not as important as survival is. Finding the coolest part of the oven to withstand this moment of fire right now, be it an hour, a day, a year, that’s the key. All energy goes to that goal and that goal only. And that’s okay, since it won’t be like this forever.
And we now return to patience.
The patient will persevere in his wisdom
Isn’t it a ridiculously delusional thought, in a happy way, that truly God’s things are often right where we need them? in our torment, struggle, fear and pain?
The patient will know God and the wisdom of eternal things to overcome them.
A ‘stone of help’
And once there, this completely fascinating place where God visited us will become an Ebenezer for the future, a stone of memory of the Presence of the LORD and his bearing for us. In this, God is our Helping Stone.
It will be a place we will inevitably want to return to: our triumph at the trial from the perspective of crystal clear hindsight.
These same places end up being the ones that define us.
© 2010 SJ Wickham.
