According to Merriam-Webester, "challenge" means "a stimulating task or a problem; the act or process of provoking or testing physiological activity by exposure to a specific substance." I'm not sure how you define "challenge," but I've got many words I could use to define it. This morning I got up a little early to run six miles, my challenge for the day. I started the run EMBRACING the challenge of running six miles. There was a little cloud cover and lower temps with a cool breeze. Around the four-mile mark, I was no longer embracing the challenge; I was FIGHTING the challenge. One of the reasons I ran a little earlier in the day was to beat the rain. The rain came, and I did not invite it or want it during my morning run. However, I pushed through the rain, and I finished my six-mile run.
Challenges are going to come in this life. Sometimes the challenges are welcome; we invite them and even welcome them. Sometimes we embrace the challenges that come our way. There are times, though, when the challenges we face are unexpected and even uninvited. Sometimes we fight against the challenges that come our way. Even further, sometimes a challenge can start with our embrace but turn on a dime and be unwanted and unwelcome! Today is June 10, 2022. Twenty-six years ago, on June 10, 1996, we were blessed with our first child, our daughter Hillary Noble Thomas. What an awesome challenge of become parents. Marty and I were excited and overjoyed with our beautiful baby girl! For days, weeks, and months, we soaked up the blessings of spending time with Hillary; we spent each and every moment spoiling her with anything and everything we could. As I look back, I realized that she was the one who spoiled us. She spoiled us with those big brown eyes and her crooked little grin. She spoiled us with lots giggles and snuggles. One hundred forty-four days. One hundred forty-nine days. The challenge we embraced and even longed for on June 10, 1996, was a challenge that changed after one hundred forty-four days. On November 2, 1996, Hillary was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had surgery on November 4, 1996, and she passed away on November 6, 1996.
Challenges are going to come in this life. Sometimes we are ready. Sometimes we are not. Sometimes challenges are welcome. Sometimes they are not. I wish I could say that I handled the challenges we faced back in 1996 and into 1997 well, but I, in fact, did not. I don't have time to go into all the details, but I was hurt and hurting. I was angry. I was confused. I was selfish. I tried to quit on God. I tried to quit on my wife. I tried to quit on everyone. I did not want to face or go through this challenge or any challenges. I just wanted to quit. I don't know how true this statement is, but I will use it at this time: "Hurt people hurt people." It was true in those moments of my life, but it was a choice I made. I chose to live in the hurt and then become the hurt. For a while, what seemed like eternity, I chose to blame God and to blame the world for all the hurt in my life. Let me say this now: I WAS WRONG. I was wrong for blaming God or for blaming anything or anyone. I was wrong for a lot of my choices. Let me say this now: I THANK GOD. I thank God for not giving up on me. I thank God for loving me. I thank God for putting people around me who loved me, people who were patient with me, and people who were praying for me. I thank God for challenges.
James 1:2-4 says, "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." First of all, joy is not a feeling; it is a gift; it is knowledge. Joy comes from God. It does not come from anything or anyone else. Also, trials come in many shapes and sizes; trials come with purpose. The kinds of trials and challenges that God brings or allows in our lives will test our faith, and they will produce perseverance. As James says, we must "LET perseverance FINISH its work." The goal is that we will become the mature and the complete beings that God created us to be and "not lacking anything." I don't want to dismiss or downgrade our feelings. God created us with feelings; He gave us feelings. However, we don't become the mature and complete beings God created us to be by living according to our feelings; we become the mature and complete beings God created us to be by living according to the wisdom and the understanding that God gives us. We TRUST Him...all the time...in every kind of challenge or trial.
Over the next few months, I will be training for my first marathon. I've thought about it and talked about it many times; now is the time. God is working this out in my life. It is a challenge that sometimes I'm excited about, sometimes I'm worried about, sometimes I dread, and sometimes I fear. However, this marathon will take place on November 6, 2022, twenty-six years to the day that our daughter Hillary Noble Thomas died. Those challenges are in my heart and on my mind each and every time I go out and train and run. New challenges are here and are ahead. God is still growing me, still maturing me, and still completing me. God is with me and is for me. I know this. I may not always feel it, but I always know it! Whatever challenges you have faced, are facing, or will face, just know that God is with you and is for you! Just know that you will make choices; some will be good and some will not. God's grace covers you. LET perseverance FINISH its work so that you may be mature and complete...not lacking anything...that God wants OF you and FOR you!
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