Bad things happen. Really awful, horrific, dreadful, traumatic, disgusting, depressing things happen ALL the time. I often struggle with this: thinking about the world and why so many terrible things happen and why God lets them happen and this is what I tell myself:
It sucks. Life doesn't make sense. It's hard right now and you're not always going to understand, but there's a plan in this and a reason and purpose behind the pain. There's something worth living for and something worth dying for. There's beauty in the world even in the pain. It will all make sense someday. Don't stop hoping. (That's the big one.) DON'T STOP HOPING.
The name of my blog is Joie de Vivre (zjwha-da-veeve) which is "joy of life" in French.
Joie de vivre is not necessarily connected to having an easy life where only good things happen to you. I think joie de vivre is about finding the joy in the midst of the suffering. It feels impossible, but the joy is there. In James 1:2-3 says "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." I know, right? I read that and I was like "why do I care about perseverance? I'm upset. Why can't you just give me joy without testing my faith?" But it continues in verse 4 with "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Not lacking anything. I think that when life is easy, it means you're missing something. Something about getting through a hard time makes you so much stronger and fuller. You sure? Because right now I feel weak and broken and empty. I think it's kind of like going to the gym for the first time in awhile and you try lifting heavy weights. Unless you're one of those fit lifting-lovers, lifting weights is miserable. And the next day your muscles are sore and ache-y and you feel like crap and you never want to lift weights again. (I'll just do the elliptical next time.) But for some crazy reason, you end up lifting weights again. And you hate it. But eventually you get stronger and you find yourself able to lift more weight. Sometimes it takes a really long time for it to get easier, but eventually the pain is over and you're the strongest you've ever been. (And I'm sorry for using the cheesiest analogy ever, but I think it's the closest I can get to the truth.)If life is easy, you're not living to the fullest. If you're in pain, there's something better coming. I promise. But more importantly, God promises He will not inflict pain without allowing something new to be born. Stick it out. It may seem impossible, but I'd hate for anyone to miss out on the beauty to come because they can't persevere through the present pain. It gets better. I know everyone says that, but it really does and it might take awhile. It's worth it though.
My prayer is that God will grant us all enough wisdom to find the joy in the pain and enough perseverance to get to the peace He promises. And that we remember He's always going to be there to help us through.
