The Trials Of Change
As people, we mostly search for certainty. We like the comfort of routine and order, and we like clear-cut answers to our questions. The trouble is, this kind of comfort is not lasting, as things rarely go according to plan. Life is change; our circumstances change, our bodies change, our jobs may change. We change our beliefs, we change our mind, we change our living arrangements. There is a quote that is relevant here: “God comforts the disturbed, and disturbs the comfortable”. While we seek the comfort of things staying the same, it is in change, and being challenged and greeted with new experiences that we test the mettle of ourselves. It is ok to sit comfortably in our houses and say that we could survive in the wilderness, but it is only an idea until we actually do it. Trials by fire are real, and they happen every day. Somewhere, someone is dealing with the death of a loved one, someone is struggling to survive on the meagre amount of food they have, some are victims of abuse or domestic violence. To these people, life has dealt them a harsh blow, and it has shaken their very foundations. Such trials need not be so extreme; a young boy frightened of public speaking, yet having to face this as part of their school course is also being tested of character. It is only by passing through something that we can truly know that we have the strength to get through such a thing. In the moment of truth, few people are found wanting, as they come up with unexpected energy and courage to get them through. These things shape men and women into warriors, be it of the body, the mind, or the heart.
The trials we are given by life, then, can be considered great gifts for those who wish to change and develop and grow as people. We would not wish for such events, but we can use them if they come along to make us better people.