Rejoicing in Tribulation DORINDA HINKSON          To be joyful or to rejoice in tribulation may to some seem a most extraordinary thing, or almost an impossibility; and one may ask, Why should I rejoice when things are going wrong? Certainly there is nothing to rejoice over in the mere fact that things are, or seem to be, going wrong. Many of us have, however, learned that we can really be grateful in circumstances such as these, because they lead us to greater striving to know more of God, whereby we find a sure way of meeting our difficulties and solving them. Paul said, "I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation;" and again, "We glory in tribulations also;" while Mrs. Eddy has written in one of her beautiful hymns (Poems, p. 14): — "I will follow and rejoice All the rugged way." It therefore behooves every earnest student of Christian Science to find out why he should rejoice in troubles, to seek earnestly for the cause whereof we are to be glad. Paul gives us as the reason, in Romans, that tribulation leads us to find God, Love; and we can make of every trial a fresh opportunity to prove that God is Love.          The Bible contains many statements such as, "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth;" and Mrs. Eddy has said in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 66): "Trials teach mortals not to lean on a material staff, — a broken reed, which pierces the heart. We do not half remember this in the sunshine of joy and prosperity. Sorrow is salutary. Through great tribulation we enter the kingdom. Trials are proofs of God's care."          How many people have construed such Bible passages to mean that God sends sorrow, and sickness, and afflictions! But this is not so. God, being wholly good, could not send anything evil. In fact, He does not know evil; for we read in Habakkuk, "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity." Therefore, since we know Him to be omnipresent good, we know He could not and does not send evil. As we keep on rejoicing, even when the day looks very black, and clouds seem to surround us, our problems are solved more quickly. Paul and Silas, when they were in prison because they had preached and healed, prayed and sang praises to God at midnight. Now it might seem as though they had little cause for rejoicing just then, when it seemed as though they were cut off altogether from doing work for God; but instead of becoming discouraged and disheartened, and lamenting that they were shut up in prison, unable to teach and preach, they knew they were given another opportunity to prove the allness of God, knowing that He was with them there. And it is so splendid that our rejoicing helps others just as it helped the keeper of the prison and his family when Paul and Silas clung to the truth and kept on rejoicing, even when the way seemed very dark. They kept on until Truth triumphed.          We shall find in all our problems, of whatever nature they may be, that when we keep on being grateful for what we have of good, instead of grumbling or worrying over what we do not seem to have; when we go on striving to know more of God, which is what we all need; when we study more earnestly the Bible and our Leader's writings, — then the way grows ever brighter, our problems are solved, and "joy cometh in the morning."   "Rejoicing in Tribulation" by Dorinda Hinkson Christian Science Sentinel, February 10, 1923

 

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