One hundred twenty-two

Job 9:27
"I will forget my complaint; I will change the look on my face and smile."

Job is a man who knew suffering. I am wondering if this is the first time the expression, "grin and bear it." came from.

Monks also dedicate their lives to suffering- depending on what type of monks they are. In ancient times self-inflicted suffering happened a lot. Sometimes they would even challenge eachother to see who could fast (go without eating) the longest.Their choosing a life of poverty and strife was a choice to only seek to know a closer walk with God. I have been reading about the lives of the Trappist Monks from a book by Thomas Merton. Trappist monks live for one purpose, to gain a deeper love and understanding of God.

When I read about how deep the Trappist monk speaks about God and love it is very moving. To smile even through troubles, is a hard thing to accomplish especially when you are not feeling like smiling.

There was a story about a monk who had sinned from looking at something he should not have and so his recourse was to have a hot poker stuck in his eye to remove it. Another monk heated the hot poker and shoved it in his eye. The eye bubbled and boiled from the heat of the hot poker, the monk winced and took the pain. Afterwards several onlooking monks asked him how he could endure such pain without a struggle. His answer was, "I expected a whole lot more pain and suffering than a hot poker to the eye when I decided to live a life for God."

Sometimes when we read the bible, it is hard to escape all the stories of tragedy- every single person in the bible had it hard. Each tells a tale of how God dealt with each person and their sin.

I pray for God's mercy and grace for my own self, and I am thankful that I did not have a hot poker in my eye to atone for my sin.

Jesus Christ died on a cross for my sins. I will be grateful and know that Jesus Christ is my savior.

Is life easier than we think?
Is all we have to do is - accept the impossible, do without the indespensable, bear the intolerable and be able to smile at anything?
Easy right?

Job... he never lost sight of God through his trials and tribulations.