Adversity

     I have been thinking about adversity lately. As a nation, we were horrified by the senseless shooting of first graders in Newtown, Connecticut. Closer to home, a church family experienced both the disaster of a pregnant mom having a heart attack, and the miracle of safe delivery of baby Grace and successful bypass surgery for her mother. But not all experienced miracles, a local pastor's family lost their 5 year old daughter to an asthma attack a few days before Christmas.  The miracle mom's family was able to share their faith from the front page of the local paper.  The pastor's family shared their hope amidst sorrow at the funeral. Through the internet, their testimony has traveled around the world.  I pray that the believers in Connecticut have been reaching out to their suffering community.
     Adversity is an inescapable part of the human condition, but God can use it, as He does all things, to bring glory to Himself.  Our testimony is loudest in adversity. No eloquent four point presentation of the gospel is as compelling as a Christian's inarticulate gasp when pain and confusion and trust and hope all mix together. Inexplicable peace amidst adversity, that is the thunder of our faith.
     Throughout their childhood, I shared my faith with my children, but the times when I shared most honestly and openly the meat of what matters to me, was in the heat of arguments.  I have experienced far smaller sorrows and miracles than those I read about this Christmas season but, since the storms of adversity will come, I don't want to waste the opportunity to testify about Christ. Let the thunder roll.