“My characters shall have after a little trouble, all that they desire” – Jane Austen from Becoming Jane
What would it be like if we got everything that we desired? I know that I would want to be thin, rich and never have to work again… well, not really, because what would I learn from a life of ease aside from self-centered and narcissistic behavior. I would never learn any lessons, understand what others are going through, or the struggles of a friend or loved one.
As a Christian, we should long for perfection, strive for it… being righteous is something we should want. But, alas, we are human and because of sin, we are not perfect, nor can we ever obtain perfection by any other way than through Christ.
I think what Jane meant in the introductory quote is that without trials or tribulations, we would never understand the blessings of the good times, the precious moments and the amazing gifts of God. What she chose to write about were things that she could, to a certain extent, relate to. She knew the life of humble means, because, she came from humble means. She was the seventh of eight children in a clergyman’s home. This meant that her social standing was not of great importance and that in order to leave the life of poverty, she would have to marry well.
What I enjoy about her characters, is that most of them, with the exception of Emma, are not rich. Most of her characters came from impoverished families, with several children. For example, Northanger Abbey tells the story of Catherine Morland, who had nine brothers and sisters, Elizabeth Bennett, had four sisters. We also see, as the introductory quote says, that after a little trouble they always get what they desire. Like Jane, who wanted to marry for love, which she found in Mr. Bingley.
James 1:2-4 reads:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James is telling us to be joyful when we go through the trials. I have to laugh when I read this verse because I always think of a scene in Harry Potter. Ron and Harry are in Divination class and Ron is reading Harry's tea leaves and sees the grim and a sun... which represent polar opposite the grim is suffering and death and the sun is happiness... Ron sheepishly looks at Harry and tells him that he is going to suffer, but he's going to be happy about it.
How many of us can say that when we have troubles? Do we count these trials as blessings in disguise?
Laura Story wrote a song entitled Blessings
We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice... have a blessed and wonderful Friday!
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