Once upon a time I teased my mother when we would be out clothes shopping and one of the determining factors guiding her choice was whether or not it would require ironing after being laundered. Now, I am in danger of becoming the ideal candidate for those Progressive commercials about not becoming your parents. Admittedly, I discover my own apparel choices these days are leaning more towards items that are considered Wrinkle Free. And for someone who prefers cotton over synthetics, this poses an obstacle to overcome, but I am just stubborn enough to not be deterred! After all, my mom may be onto something—she knows how to make a small household appliance last 55 years!

Now, in reality, even items advertised as Wrinkle Free need to be promptly removed from the dryer if your goal is to avoid using an iron; and I’ve never spent a day in cotton clothing that managed to still be Wrinkle Free after a day’s work. Wrinkles are just a part of life. And whether they appear as creases in your pants or crinkles around your eyes, there comes a time when we must make a choice whether we are going to fight for life to be Wrinkle Free or to accept those wrinkles as a natural part of our life’s journey. Some things are just inevitable…one day, we will all pass from this earth and very few will leave this earth without wrinkles-either in their clothing, their skin, or their life experiences.

Although my preference would be to have a Wrinkle Free life, I am often reminded that we learn the greatest lessons when what we encounter isn’t the smoothest. Andy Stanley shares, “Wrinkle-free days usually don’t create great faith, because we don’t know what we actually believe until what we claim to believe is tested. Those unexpected things life throws our way can end up being pivotal circumstances in our faith journeys.” As I look to Scripture and people of faith in my life, it’s often during the Raging Seas moments of life, when we are forced to Surrender All that our faith grows because God is asking us to rely on Him rather than our own power.

Just as I don’t want to concern myself with the wrinkles in my clothing, my preference would be to not deal with any obstacles in my life either, but these are often outside of my control; and the only thing under my power is my Attitude where I am asked to make a conscious choice to allow the Lord to Teach Me through this experience. Ryan Holiday shares in his book The Obstacle is the Way that “Overcoming obstacles is a discipline of three critical steps. It begins with how we look at our specific problems, our attitude or approach; then the energy and creativity with which we actively break them down and turn them into opportunities; finally, the cultivation and maintenance of an inner will that allows us to handle defeat and difficulty.”

Under our own power, we will struggle to turn obstacles into opportunities. I don’t know about you, but I’m just not that good of a person; however, with the strength of my faith, life may not be Wrinkle Free, but it will have meaning and purpose. I can be confident that my Savior will help me through whatever issues arise; and He will help me use these failures and obstacles to become a better person. “You will come across obstacles in life—fair and unfair. And you will discover, time and time again, that what matters most is not what these obstacles are but how we see them, how we react to them, and whether we keep our composure. You will learn that this reaction determines how successful we will be in overcoming—or possibly [flourishing] because of—them,” shares Holiday.

As I witness people with a full faith navigating harsh circumstances, I am amazed at how they embrace a willingness to allow God to use these Defining Moments as an opportunity to develop resilience and growth, whether that occurs personally, professionally, or spiritually. Their lives are certainly not Wrinkle Free, but they still manage to uncover a deep source of strength, and I don’t know about you, but it’s that kind of Flourishing Faith that I hope to one day possess.

 Please feel free to share any stories in the comments below of people you have witnessed demonstrate a strong faith even through rough circumstances. Emerging adults need to see a model of how to turn obstacles into opportunities, and I believe your stories will help!

References:

Holiday, R. (2014). The obstacle is the way: The timeless art of turning trials into triumph. Portfolio.

Stanley, A. (2021, May 16). When Life Happens: Faith Full Series, Part 6. Northpoint Community Church. [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://northpoint.org/messages/faith-full/when-life-happens