The strength to endure.

Last fall, I worked with a college student who introduced me to this quote. Through the process of working together, we discovered that her hang-up was avoidance... avoiding conflict, avoiding her past, avoiding her mental health issues, avoiding school. She wanted the easy way out. And what she discovered was that it was impossible. What she discovered was that trying to find the easy way out created a hard way.

I wonder if times we all get caught up in wanting the easy life. Maybe not the easy way out of trials and tribulations, but the easy life... an easy-going child instead of one that demands a lot of attention... an easy job instead of one that requires a lot of mental strain... an easy spouse instead of one that requires assertive communication and compromise... an easy dog instead of one that requires all of the destoyable items in the house to be out of its reach.

The truth is, that child that demands a lot of attention will eventually leave your home and be out on their own before you know it (and you'll long for those days of playing dolls with them on the playroom floor), that mental strain job that demands energy might be more rewarding than you give it credit for, that spouse who requires assertive communication and compromise will stay with you through thick and thin, and the dog that destroys everything... well, three out of four isn't bad. :)

Instead of praying for an easy life, we should pray for the strength to endure a difficult one. For difficult lives teach us lessons and can be even more enjoyable than easy ones. If I got everything that I wanted, I know that I most certainly wouldn't be appreciative of everything that I have.

I guess that means that since I don't have an easy life, I must be building up strength...