Article January 31, 1931 Issue

Rejoicing in Tribulation

LOUISA MAY WHINNOM

Many of us, even when bowed beneath a burden of sin, sickness, or sorrow, have been bidden to rejoice. Not a few of us have failed to do so, thinking that happiness could not be found in the midst of trial. Yet Paul, the mighty apostle, who himself endured great tribulation, reminded his hearers that they must rejoice.

Let us look closely at the word "tribulation." We find that it is derived from the Latin tribulum, meaning "a sledge for rubbing out corn." Hitherto tribulation may have seemed to be an extraneous, hard experience which had been thrust upon us and which we would rather have done without; now we may see in the overcoming of it necessary steps in our progress.

The meaning just given may also be taken as implying that we must exercise individual effort in separating the false from the true in consciousness. Perhaps the most desirable moral quality in surmounting tribulation is honesty. Indeed, we cannot even begin to eliminate error from our thinking until we are fully prepared to be honest with ourselves and others. What if this pure desire should uncover some unlovely mortal thoughts? Their unloveliness but shows their unreality, since God is All, and all that He makes is good. How glad we are to have uncovered to us, either by our own prayerful thinking or by the pure thought of another, those false beliefs and fears which would hinder our progress! Surely, this is rejoicing in tribulation.

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Rejoicing in Tribulation

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