It was 6 AM and
the thermostat read 81°. Eeeek! The AC was kaputt!
I
was staying with my 92-year-old dad, his wife, and a caretaker, and needless to
say, we were all sweating. The AC crew kept coming back to fix it, but it just
wasn’t happening. We would leave for a while, come back, and there it was
again—HOT!
My
dad became hyper-focused on the problem. Why wasn’t it getting fixed? The crew
came back a fourth time after Dad had even left dinner early to meet them. By
the end of the night, four men—including a plumber—were opening the ceiling in
his beautiful closet to reach the unit. It was nearly 10 PM when they assured
us they would not leave until it was fixed.
I
finally went to bed at 11 PM with the room still at 81°, but hopeful they would
keep their promise.
And
through it all, I realized something: I wasn’t consumed by the frustration. I
felt God’s peace. I wanted the AC fixed, of course, but I kept thinking, We
just have to roll with this. One thing at a time. We have to wait.
I
was also watching my dad.
He
never lost his temper with anyone. He was persistent. He kept asking questions,
observing, and doing what he could to get the problem resolved—but without
harsh words or hurting anyone in the process.
Before
I went to bed, I read James 1:2-4:
“Consider
it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work
so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
When
I woke up the next morning, the AC was working. The house was cold!
We
were on the other side of the storm.
And
suddenly, that Scripture felt very real. How do we consider something like that
pure joy? Not because sweating in an 81° house is joyful! But because of what
God can produce in us while we are going through it.
Then
I read further in James 1:17:
“Every
good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
And
I began to think about the gifts—the good things—in the middle of the trial.
I
thought about my dad. He came from a very difficult childhood and worked his
way up the corporate ladder. He learned to get things done—to persevere, to
solve problems, to keep going when things were hard.
That
was still in him yesterday.
But
what I noticed was how differently he used those gifts. He was persistent
without being harsh. He was determined without being unkind. His caretakers
have been teaching him to be more patient, kind, and considerate, and I saw
those things showing up in him.
God
was using what had been built into him for good.
And
now there is peace here. A calmness. The storm has passed.
At
breakfast, I shared all of this with Dad and his wife. We talked about how
grateful we were to be on the other side—to have persevered, to have gotten
through it, and to recognize that God had been present through all of it.
Only
God can do that.
I
love that I can boast and brag about You, God, and acknowledge that You are
ever-present in our trouble.
Then
I asked everyone, “What was the highlight of yesterday?”
We
each came up with something.
And
I thought, We have to learn to do this in the middle of the storms—not just
after they pass.
It
reminds me of a captain on a ship who suddenly encounters a storm. He has spent
years being trained for that very moment. And when he reaches the other side,
wouldn’t it be wonderful for him to recognize that his strength, his training,
his ability to persevere—even his very life—were gifts from God?
God
was there all along.
He
is there in the storm, and He is there when the skies finally clear.
Heavenly
Father, thank You for raining Your light down on us, even in difficult seasons.
Help us to be hopeful and expectant in the middle of trials that are hard
moment by moment. Help us to recognize the gifts You have given us and to look
for the good, even when we are uncomfortable, frustrated, or uncertain.
And
when we finally reach the other side, help us to stop and praise You—to
recognize that we persevered, not because we did it all on our own, but because
You were with us.
Thank
You for showing me this. Thank You for being ever-present in our trouble.
I
am so grateful for You.
In
Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
