James 1:2-4 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

“Hey Dad, how far can you kick this ball?” my son Josh’s voice called across the gym. 

It was late after Sunday services a few weeks back, the cafe was empty, a few people stood around chatting and Josh had just emerged from the ball closet which for some reason was left open. I looked around and considered his request. No one was around, no little kids to set a bad example for. Sure, I’m in dress shoes, but I’ve played athletics in them before… 

“Let ‘er rip.” I say. I’m going to send this ball to the moon. 

Josh rolls it to me kick ball style and I wind up and kick. Wham. My foot collides with the gym floor right in front of the ball like duffing a golf ball, only worse. The ball weakly rolls away as if kicked by a three year old. Ouch that hurt! I know I’m out of shape and all, but this is ridiculous! I can’t believe I misjudged that ball so badly. How humiliating! 

“Let me have that again.” I say, as I regroup for another go around. 

“OK.” He said. There’s a certain lilt in his voice that should have acted as a warning. 

In comes the ball again. As it does, I’m muttering under my breath about lost youth and old age. Again I wind up for a mighty kick. Wham! My foot smashes the ball and bends back like a wet noodle- painful and wrenching. The ball rolls away briskly this time. 

“AAHHHH! What is that?” I cry out. 

I hear snorts and choking laughter as Josh tosses me the ball. “It’s an exercise ball.” 

“A what?!?” 

An exercise ball. It looks like a playground ball, but was made of vulcanized rubber and weighs 4 pounds. I didn’t miss the ball the first time, I only thought it was the floor as my foot smashed headlong into this spherical hunk of concrete. 

“I could have broken my foot!” I said reprovingly. 

I limped for three days and had a “teachable moment” with Josh about pranks, but the concept of an exercise ball stuck with me. 

Trials are like that. They come rolling in fast and in all shapes and sizes. Often we misjudge them. But if our mind set is simply to get rid of them, to “kick them to the moon” then we may come out feeling like a crash dummy and miss what God has for us. 

Scripture teaches that God allows and sometimes even places difficult circumstances, events and people in our lives. These difficulties when handled in the power of Christ lead towards spiritual maturity. Like an exercise ball, these trials are designed for our strengthening. And while the process may be unpleasant, the end can be good. So the next time the ball of adversity rolls in your direction, pause and consider the possibility that God may be up to something. Sometimes when we enter into a challenge with a different attitude we end up in a better place in the end. 

Oh yeah. And don’t play kickball with my son.