Remember the scene in Disney's Toy Story when Andy receives Buzz Lightyear for his birthday, and suddenly Woody's whole world is turned upside down. Woody goes from Andy's favorite to "just another toy" in his mind. The conflict inside Woody is put to music with the song "Strange Things are Happening to Me."

Through these last couple of months, that scene has reminded me about our life here. Some of the hard times that we go through makes us think the same kind of thing, "Strange things are happening to me..."

Peter writes, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12 (NIV) and talks about the trials that test our faith and ends the section with,  "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good." 1 Peter 4:19 (NIV) Both Peter and James talk about "all kinds of trials." These come for many reasons, from many sides.

The Message paraphrases James 1:2-4 this way: "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. 3 You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. 4 So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."

When trials come, they are uncomfortable, and we try to ease that discomfort. But we're reminded that these trials have come to make us mature, and to purify our faith in God. So, we have to submit ourselves to these times, not trying to "get out of anything prematurely" before God's work in us is done.

Woody came to understand that his owner Andy didn't love him any less because of Buzz. Woody was still Andy's toy, and brought pleasure to him. Toward the end of the movie, Woody scraped the paint off his boot to see the name "Andy". He still belonged to Andy and was loved by him.

We have an "owner", actually a Creator, who loves us intensely, even through the "many trials" that come to our lives. We can "commit ourselves to our faithful Creator". He loves us, takes delight in us, and wants to make us all we were designed to be, sometimes through the hard times. Because of this we can commit ourselves to Him, and continue to do good. (1 Peter 4:19)