Reason to Rejoice

Life is good.  There are a lot of really happy times that I can remember.  Times where I laughed, times where I smiled, times where I rejoiced.  Some of them include when the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup (we won't talk about them this year), when my high school rock and roll band played a stellar show, and more importantly, when I opened my mission call to the Montana Billings Mission.  Just thinking of those times fills my soul with joy. 

I had an experience recently that kind of threw me for a loop though.  The experience led me to believe that there are so many more times that we can and should rejoice.  In 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter is explaining how suffering should cause us to rejoice.  He says, "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings..."  That scripture hit me like a brick wall.  Never have I ever thought of that we could rejoice in suffering.  Logically, it doesn't make sense.  Spiritually is a whole different story. 

Times of trial should be considered blessings.  Trials refine us and define us.  Often times when hardship is happening, a blessing is the last thing we want to call it, but we can rejoice in Christ.  We can rejoice that we are suffering with him, and through that suffering, we grow that much closer to him.  We start to understand what he went through, while he fully understands what we do go through.  He loves us and will never leave us comfortless.  We must not sulk in sorrow during our suffering, but rather celebrate because of our sanctification, and realize the reason to rejoice!

Now That's a Beard!

Even since I was a kid, I've always loved hockey.  Whether it be playing hockey, watching hockey, or even just talking about hockey.  But my favorite thing about hockey is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Nothing gets me fired up like a good playoff game.  There's been a tradition in the NHL that when the playoffs start, all of the players grow out their beards.

All of the players give it everything they have.  They're not ashamed one bit, no matter how goofy they look with a beard.  And trust me, many of them look goofy.  They're not ashamed to grow their beards because they want all to know that they've made it to the playoffs.  They want it to be crystal clear why they're here, and what they're intent is.  This is how we should be with our beliefs.

Paul writes to the Romans and says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." (Romans 1:16).  He wore his religion on his sleeve, or his "beard" on his "face."  He wanted everyone to know what he stood for, and we should do the same.  The real question is how?  How can we let everyone know?  There's no possible way we can talk to everyone and growing a beard just doesn't cut it.  1 Timothy 4:12 gives us the answer, "...be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

As we all strive to be examples of the believers, we will be able to let everyone know where we stand without saying a word to them.  It is said that actions speak louder than words, and they truly do.  Now let's put on our playoff beards and get in the game!