"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2, NIV 2011).

We were seated in a large circle, each with our spouse, sharing family war stories so that we might hold them up to the Lord-physicians, dentists, physician assistant, medical student, resident in obstetrics. Linda shared her story and then concluded before we prayed, "We have our struggles-but we are struggling well."

We certainly will not leave this side of Glory without struggling, but we must each choose how well we will struggle.

Paul struggled well when he was beaten, shipwrecked and spent his last days in prison, writing the letters now guiding our churches (2 Corinthians 11:25).

David struggled well when he slipped up on the sleeping Saul and refused to kill the Lord's anointed (1 Samuel 24:1-7). Jesus struggled well in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-39). What does it mean to struggle well? Struggling well means continuing on mission as long as the Lord calls us forward.

Struggling well means walking in obedience even when disobedience might ease our struggles.

Struggling well means pouring our hearts out to the Father within our struggles and saying, "Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Struggling well means glorifying our God from within our struggles, even as Jesus did on the day of the cross.

Dear God,
When it is my time to struggle, let me struggle well, for your glory.
Amen