Embrace the Challenge
Challenges and blessings often come together. Last week, I was writing my blog post while preparing to travel for the wedding of a granddaughter. I paused in my writing for something and when I returned, the computer would not start.
Repeated attempts were fruitless and there was nothing I could do about it because we were leaving early the next morning. It’s nice to have a back-up source to keep up with important e-mails and such, but I couldn’t post my blog.
Consequently, I trusted that God was not surprised by the challenge. I received it as Him directing my steps, and I rested–which is not characteristic of me. I found it freeing to relax about not meeting my schedule to post, but to trust that the Lord was directing me.
It was a joy to help my daughter prepare for the wedding without worrying about the demands or distractions that accompany a working computer. Then the wedding was a major blessing, bringing tears to my eyes before it even began.
It was a small family wedding with only about 60 people attending, but it was a beautifully planned and decorated affair. It was held in a large church in a room used for youth meetings.
It also presented a major challenge because the room was in use until 12:45 and the wedding was scheduled for 3:00. That left about one and a half hours to change a large room with a pool table, Foosball, and chairs set up for a large group to a wedding venue for fewer attendees.
Both families and many volunteers from the church jumped in to make it happen. A few key people from the church knew where supplies and equipment were stored in the church. They directed the set up.
Others were given responsibility of particular areas of set-up. As soon as 2 eight-foot tables were on top of the pool table, someone else took over and covered them with cloths and began adding decorations and a sumptuous supply of food.
Someone brought out small tables cloths and decorations for them. Someone else set up the welcome table where guests signed leaves and added them to the tree painted for the occasion.
A lady set up a Tips for the Newlyweds table. Men took care of the stage set-up. Three vacuums were put in motion. Men set up chairs in proper rows and placed extra chairs on carts.
I stood in the midst of the commotion and felt like I was in the middle of an ant hill that was bubbling over with joy and with a spirit of eager servanthood. I teared up, thinking, “This is how the body of Christ is suppose to work.”
We were made of two sets of families and a set of friends from church–three groups that hadn’t known each other, and mostly had not even met. But all were united, working together, serving together under authority, toward a common goal.
And it all came together in plenty of time. The service was beautiful and meaningful, and the fellowship afterward was rich and sweet. As we served to set up, we mixed and were joined before the ceremony and the social time that followed.
The quick turn around was a challenge, but I was greatly blessed to be part of it.
I had two major challenges in less than a week and both turned out to be blessings. I’ve know for years that God uses hurdles to strengthen us and bring growth, but sometimes it isn’t so easy to see the benefit.
I’m left wondering how much simpler life would be if we could learn to relax and embrace the situation when we face difficulties. It shouldn’t be too hard to do that, should it? Not if we truly believe that God is with us and that He works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.