Golf swings and steadfastness

     Okay, Lord, I think we are good with the character development around here.
      I know Your will and Your ways are perfect. But I'm just saying, I think we're good now, so maybe You could let up just a bit.
      It's been another tough round of golf in a tournament today for one of our boys.  He's going through a slump, and sakes alive, this has been a brutal few weeks.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it's just a game...that is doesn't matter a hill of beans in the big picture of life...that God is in control...and that He does all things best.  Most of all, I know that He uses the difficulties and disappointments in our lives to build into us rock solid character that is founded upon Him and His grace and goodness and power.
     As James puts it: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
     Absolutely.  We know that we know that we know all those things.
     But goodness gracious, sometimes it's gets mighty wearisome while the Lord is building that steadfastness.  Especially in your children.  How hard it is to see those you love better than your own life, working and trying as hard as they possibly can, and yet seeming to meet nothing but obstacles and setbacks.  Broken bones.  Or broken golf swings.  Or broken hopes.
     But Lord, I also know that You make no mistakes.  And if You're allowing trials in our lives, then You're producing something much greater and more lasting than our temporary success in this passing life.  You're producing that eternal weight of glory in the lives of those we love.
     "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Rom.5:3-5)
     I know a golf slump is not true suffering.  Absolutely not.  But I also know that right now, for our son, well, this constitutes suffering.  And I also know that our Heavenly Father sees and cares infinitely about His beloved child's discouragement over whatever difficulty that child is facing.  Aren't you glad God knows about all our struggles--big and small--and that He cares just as much for the insignificant flies in the ointment of our lives as the giant storms that threaten to swamp us?  Nothing's too giant for our Heavenly Father to handle nor too little for Him to notice and ultimately use in our story of redemption.
     So thank You, Lord, that You use the disappointments and sorrows in lives for our ultimate good and Your glory.  Thank You that You are producing--through whatever suffering we are enduring--character and irrepressible hope because it is rooted in Your infinite love.
     So when we cannot feel that love...we trust in You, the Great Lover.  Help us to trust, Lord.  Help us to persevere.  Help us to stay grateful.   And, well... how about a little help with that golf!
     To God be the glory.