2nd definition according to Dictionary.Com
the act of trying, testing, or putting to the proof.
Everyone has them. Everyone is dealing with something that is weighing them down. Family, friends, school, health, money, love, and many other of life's concerns burden one's mind. Some trials, not only one person is dealing with. Some are strictly personal. No matter how they are defined or their content, no matter how many you have at one time, again...we all have them.
Oh trials...Aren't they funny things? They cause us stress, pain, and anxiety. Once they are over, we come out confident in our new abilities and knowledge, or lack of pain, stress, pain or anxiety because we have overcome something that tried and tested us, proving our strength.
Yet, we spend so much time crying and mulling over the reasons as to why? Why us? Why now? Why this trial? Why can't it be over? Why can't it go away? Simply why?
Questioning only leaves us with more questions, with even fewer answers. We come back with increased stressed, pain, anxiety and now frustrated with our lack of understanding of the reasons behind why we are stuck with this unfortunate situation.
"God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons that we could learn in no other way.” C.S. Lewis
Without diving too far into my beliefs, trials are given to test but only so we can come out of them wiser and stronger than before. Heavenly Father gives us these trials only to better us. My Heavenly Father knows me better than I know myself. He knows how much I can handle, what I can handle and when is the best for the trial.
Sure, I might disagree with him at the time being. I might throw at Him all the questions as to why this is occurring and beg for Him to make all the pain to go away. He'll ease the pain. He'll walk me through each day of the trial. However, He knows that I will be better because of it.
Grace carried me here, and by grace I'll carry on.
The best way to deal with a trial is to have the most positive attitude possible. We might not be able to smile through it, skip and jump at the appearance over another hurdle during the course, but the more we can, the easier it gets. It helps with the way we respond to things, people, and situations.
If we go in thinking positive, things are going to be easier as we evaluate the situation and then go at it the best way possible. On the other hand, a negative attitude gives us the worst case scenario and preconceived notions. We keeping ourselves from seeing the bigger picture and understanding the situation as a way to grow.
Overall, life is kicking my trash lately. I feel like I'm carrying a stack of books and things just keep getting piled on top. Higher and higher it climbs as my arms get more tired, trembling under the weight. Every once in a while, I drop the stack but I'm not left there to scramble and pick everything up alone. Heavenly Father is there helping me gather my belongings and move along, lessening the load now and again, helping me carry the load so I don't have to do it by myself.
Small blessings, like a class cancelled or extended deadlines occur when I need them most. A shift getting covered last minute when I'm sick in bed. A postman has even delivered a book I needed so desperately a whole two days early. You can say a small miracle, but I say blessings. The little things don't make the bigger trials disappear necessarily, but they make them seem smaller and more manageable. I'm so grateful for the little blessings in my life.
I'm a hot mess sometimes, but life, even with all of it's twists and turns due to trial, is beautiful. Life is good. Crazy, but oh so good (:
