a picture.

remember aron ralston? he was the guy who went to rock climbing and was pinned by a large boulder. he then cut his arm off to survive. well, we are studying james this semester in my sophomore girl's fellowship group. the study opens up with an illustration of his story and how that relates to...

james 1:1-5, "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 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. If any of you lacks

wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Aron Ralston prepared himself to die. He didn’t figure he’d make it through the fifth night. He was mentally and physically exhausted. He hand was rotting, and he couldn’t get out. That night, he had a dream and in the dream he saw a young boy. “I now the boy is my own. I bend to scoop him into my left arm, using my handless right arm to balance him, and we laugh together as I swing him up to my left shoulder. The boy happily perches on my left shoulder while I steady him with my left hand and right stump. Smiling, I prance about the room, tiptoeing in and out of the sun dapples on the oak floor, and he giggles gleefully. Then, with a shock, the vision blinks out. I’m back in the canyon, echoes of his joyful sounds resonating in my mind. Despite having already come to accept that I will die where I stand before help arrives, now I believe I will live. That belief, that boy, changes everything for me.”

That morning, his sixth day on the mountain, Aron does something that he didn’t think he could do. But, you see, he wanted to live for something else. Are you ready? Aron had never been able to figure out how he could saw through the bones in his arm. He only had two small pocket knife blades. They could get through flesh and even muscle, and by this point, he couldn’t even feel it much when he tried. But they would never make it through bone. Then he had the answer. And he put all his pressure against a focal point – and he broke his first his radius and then his ulna just above his wrist.

yes, we will face trials. it's not a question, it's a surety. often, we may not see how this could be worth it. however, Christ is creating a story much larger than ourselves. He wants us to be a part of that. by accepting the trials, even taking joy in them, we are able to participate in the story. aron saw a bigger picture than just himself. it made him live.