There are all kinds of interesting stressors about living on another continent, in another culture. Some are super major, and others not so major. Lately, my biggest day-to-day stress has been... are you ready for it? The mud. The dirt. I know it may sound hilarious to American ears, but truly, these days, all it takes is for a bunch of dirty feet to be running around inside my house for my head to about burst. And we have quite a lot of it in our yard, and I'm not sure why. The shade from our amazing avocado trees? The areas around our house that I haven't yet planted? The fact that we live in... Africa? I'm sure my stress has something to do with the fact that I have three children who love to be outside (wonderful!) and a house that I like to keep clean (ideally!) and clothes that I try to make last from child to child (not happening!). So, you get the picture.
[Just in case you don't get the picture - why Tess is primarily featured, I'm not sure...]
Last week, the girls and I tagged along on an outing Ben had, and spent some time walking around a gorgeous, well-manicured, full of grass campus. Full of grass! Imagine! I found myself envying the grounds, and wondered if this is what heaven would be like - beautiful rolling hills, lovely gardens, and no mud. This was a serious train of thought in my head. Surely, the thoughts continued, there would be no mud in heaven! Then I felt the Lord gently nudge me to think - what can I make of the mud, here on earth? Why must I battle the mud/dirt problem so very often? Am I loving my cleanliness/peace of mind more than my children, or his planting us here, in the middle of the mud?
And then I realized: the mud is for my sanctification. Or at least, it can be, if I choose to let it. Consider James:
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" [1:2-4].
Now the very last thing I want to do is minimize anyone's trial - no doubt this mud trial of mine is on the very lowest scale of trials. Does it test my faith? Well, when my attitude is altered by it, when I fail to respond lovingly to my children because of it, when I let it produce a discontent for our current place in life - then yes, indeed, it tries my faith. My faith that God has placed us here, and knew of the mud problem first. That God has commanded me to love my children, to lead them kindly, to not exasperate them. That my attitude should be like that of Christ Jesus - and believe me, when muddy feet come tromping through my house, I am often not Christlike in any way.
At least for me, I often think the big trials in life are meant to sanctify me - but I don't typically see my day in and day out trials purposing to grow me in faith. The baby's crying and failing to nap. The kids fighting. The hot, humid weather. The April freezing cold and blizzard (I see you Midwest). The internet slow speeds and outages. AT&T. You fill in the blanks - the daily frustrations of your life. What do we do with them?
If we're not sure, let's look back at James:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him" [1:5].
That day, I asked God about the mud. What do I do with it? How do I change my attitude, and love my kids better? How do I learn to accept it? He is giving me answers. And though slowly, I'm learning to let it refine me, to change me for the better, to sanctify me to be more like Christ. In all the little things, and in the big things, let us keep our minds focused on Christ, so we can be more and more like him each day.
