This week on the podcast, we talked about enjoying the moment. It’s a great habit to practice. But, what do you do when your circumstances stink and you want to run away? When the last thing you want to do is to be present in your circumstances?

• When the baby is puking on you?
• When you are so sick you can’t get out of bed?
• When there is a death in the family?
• When your schedule is interrupted by catastrophe day after day?

It’s tough. I know. I want to practice being present and enjoying every moment just as much as the next gal.

With all of my pregnancies, I had morning sickness all day. I was hospitalized to get fluids in me because I couldn’t hold anything down. To say that I didn’t enjoy being sick is an understatement. To say that I didn’t enjoy any of my life during those pregnancies would be a lie. Even when my stomach literally felt as if it were on fire, I still was able to enjoy moments.

During seasons of stress, our mindset is key. These seasons are when we can grow.

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.- James  1: 2-4

My first reaction when I have a test or challenge is definitely not to consider it a sheer gift. Most of the time, I think, What? Why me?  I can honestly say, on the other side of tests and trials that I can see how I have grown, how God has used them to help me mature. In order to be well-developed and not deficient in any way, we must let our faith grow. One way to do that, is be present in the moment even when our circumstances stink.

The truth is whatever is in our heart will come out when we are under pressure. When our heart is full of good things including faith- the assurance of things we hope for, the assurance of things not seen. We belief that every good and perfect gift comes from God, so we look for those gifts. In times of stress, we must look harder for those good things. When we look for them, we will find them. This is truly finding the gift in the midst of trial.

It’s that time you are sitting in the hospital with a loved one and someone comes to visit and brings you a coffee.

It’s when your are are too ill to get out of bed and your friend brings you smoothies and a crock pot of chili for your kiddos.

It’s when you don’t have money for Christmas presents for your kids and a friend brings presents for all of them.

Maybe this is a new concept for you. Maybe you are still waiting for your circumstances to be perfect in order to enjoy your life. Did you read the title and think totally the opposite? I used to think that way. Honestly, I still slip back into that line of thinking. My first response to trials isn’t “thank you God for this gift!” What has changed about the way I approach trials? I look for the good. I search for it like treasure. This week, a super busy week, getting ready for an event, I got sick. Not the best time for that. I know. Yet, with the years of practicing looking for the good, I can find the gifts. The prayers of my team. The offers to help. FaceTime with my daughter and grandson. Seeing all my grandkids and daughters in one day (even that was due to a trial- a water line break in Amerey’s neighborhood, so everyone ended up here).

If you’re in the midst of a test or a series of events and you feel as if you are drowning, I’m sorry, friend. Could you take a moment and find something good? Could you practice it today and let me know how it went?