Guest Blog: "Ten Years After 9/11: Consider It Joy"

Below is a special guest blog written by my friend and colleague Jason McNair (pictured here with his family) sharing his thoughts ten years after the tragedy of 9/11. Jason served for five years as our minister to students, before going to work with the Utah-Idaho Southern Baptist Convention. -- Bob Rogers.

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4 (HCSB)

This week, people all across America are preparing for a time of remembrance as the tenth anniversary of the attacks on September 11 draws near. As I hear stories of where people were when they first heard the news, it got me thinking: What was the most common question asked that fateful week in 2001? The question was “Why?” In the heat of the moment, when we face trials or difficulties, it is so easy to default to asking the question why. It’s only natural. We all want to know the reason behind the challenges we face.

As I look back at my life, I can see markers of “life lessons learned the hard way”. It seems that every test or trial that I have faced throughout my life has taught me a spiritual lesson. It’s unfortunate that we can’t always see these lessons until we endure them to the end. I guess that is why they say “hindsight is 20/20”.

If you look at James 1:2-4, it is not referring to hindsight. That is the challenge that I struggle with. James is preparing believers to consider it great joy WHEN you experience various trials. When implies that trials WILL come; it is not a matter of IF. Second, we are supposed to count it JOY in the midst of the trial, not afterwards when we have had time to think about it. That is very hard to do. Our first inclination is to put up our defenses and begin questioning God as to why He let this happen in the first place.

In James’ day, the early followers of Christ were faced with uncompromising persecution from various sides. The problems that I spend so much time complaining about seem small and petty in comparison to what the early Christian church experienced. I need to gain a little perspective and thank God that I can count what I am going through as a source of great joy in my life. I need to spend more time appreciating my trials as the means God has chosen to mold me more into His character, and less into what I want for myself.

In looking back at these life lessons learned, I need to use them to encourage those around me who are facing similar trials. God does nothing haphazard or random. The “Why?” that we are so eager to answer during our trials is producing endurance in the life of every believer. We are to use the maturity that results to encourage those around us in similar circumstances. If God brings you through a trial, use that experience to better relate to others who don’t have the benefit of hindsight. God is calling all of us to be a part of his plan and part of that plan is impacting the lives of people we come in contact with.

Everyone has a story. This next week, take time to listen to someone else’s story of a trial they may be going through. Resist the temptation to speak or give advice until they have had the opportunity to share what is on their heart. It could be that you will have an open opportunity to interject how God carried you through a similar situation and you will be used by Him to bring a portion of peace and joy to someone else’s life.

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Jason McNair and his wife, Brittany, serve on staff with the Utah Idaho Southern Baptist Convention. He is the Religious Education and Collegiate Consultant working to strengthen the discipleship and Sunday school/small group ministries of 150 churches and missions. He has been with UISBC since 2009, after serving five years at First Baptist Chuch in Rincon, GA and nine years at First Southern Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, UT. He also contributes regularly to the blog, www.SundaySchoolLeader.com, where he oversees social media for the site. This blog is a partnership with the state Sunday school departments of all 42 SBC State Conventions.

Walking the mountain path

Allow me to explain this picture.

I took this picture on a mountain path at Ridgecrest Conference Center in North Carolina, where I was attending a Christian writer's conference this week. I met many publishers and other writers as I sought to find a publisher interested in my "Holy Humor" stories and some of my other writing.

One morning I decided to get some exercise by walking up Rattlesnake Trail. I got so tired that I had to slither back down the trail without reaching the summit.

The next morning I tried the Royal Gorge trail, which is not as long as Rattlesnake Trail. Again I huffed and puffed, but I decided I would not let anything blow me down the mountain. As I got more exhausted and time passed, I looked at my watch and realized that I would miss breakfast. But I was determined to see the view from the top, so I kept walking. Did I mention that Royal Gorge Trail, while not as long as Rattlesnake Trail, is nevertheless nearly a mile long? Most of it is much steeper than the path in this picture. I thought of the climb as a metaphor for my writing. I told myself, "I'm not going to quit! I'm going to reach the top!" Finally I got to the summit and walked to the overlook with my camera. I could see nothing but a few trees and a lot of mist. I laid down on a bench, gasping so rapidly that if anybody had been there, they would have called for an ambulance. Soon a car drove up the road, parked near the summit, and a car door opened. I didn't even know you could DRIVE up to the summit. Some lazy person got out of the car and walked toward the overlook where I was struggling for oxygen, so I sat up and tried to look spiritual as I gazed out at the haze. Then I started walking back down the mountain. Suddenly I noticed the things on the path that I had not seen in my quest for the summit. I noticed a tree that jutted straight out over the path, seeming to defy gravity by growing out more than up. There were colorful purple and pink flowers all along the way. So I took this picture.

Here was the metaphor for my writing. The beauty is not found in reaching the top; the beauty is found in the journey along the way.