This man's day is not going to end well. His pursuit of whatever it is he is going after will definitely end. He is kind of like Wile E. Coyote in Looney Tunes, who would often chase the roadrunner before getting an anvil dropped on his head. The anvil could definitely inflict some serious damage in an effort to stop the pursuit.
But the anvil can be useful, too. Blacksmiths use anvils to hammer out steel tools, weapons, and armor--things of great use.
I would say these two pictures represent God's mercy and love.
Sometimes I pursue things that are not pleasing to Him and are detrimental to my well-being, if not fatal. Sometimes He will send something that will stop me in my tracks and give me a chance to turn and follow Him. Then the hammering happens. This is not a pleasant experience, but the end product is something useful, strong, and tested.
Often, the Lord allows trials which stop me from getting what I want and living life my own way. The very trial--like the anvil--He also uses to form me into a person who is useful for His kingdom, strong in His Spirit, and with a faith that is tested and proven. He desires me and other followers of Christ to live this new life, recognizing that the old life was cut off--like the anvil falling--at the cross.
This new life is one of learning discipline, and it can be hard. Just like the piece of metal has to be hammered, and bent, and fired, and hammered, and bent, and fired--you get the picture--so do we have to go through a shaping and strengthening process that we would become more like Christ and carry out the mission He has for us on earth.
James 1:12-18 says, "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures."
There is such a reward for those who endure hard things on earth--the "crown of life." This is one that is lasting, and not one made by me or any other person. If I simply love God, I will receive this lasting reward. In all of my trials, there are many temptations, but I have to realize that it is not God tempting, but He is giving me a chance to turn to Him and away from temptations.
Nor can we tempt Him. I realize looking back on my life that, if God could be tempted, He might have been tempted to let that anvil drop on me and knock me out for good. However, He does not do that because God is love. So those "anvils" falling from the sky are directly from God. Because He wants our faith to be tested and proven, so that we can become His children, He allows trials--which are actually "perfect gifts from above," so that we can experience the good things He has given us in His son Jesus Christ.
So what are "trials," and why should I welcome them?
These trials manifest as disappointments, failures to get my way, and often simply just unexpected occurances.
Yesterday my two-year-old got bitten by a beloved family dog. This was definitely an anvil falling on my head. How did I respond? Was it in a way pleasing to the Lord? I would say He helped me stay calm as a flood of thoughts and emotions went through my mind. These included anger towards the dog; frustration towards my parents-in-law for keeping the dog despite past wake-up-calls; guilt from not paying enough attention to assess a potentially dangerous situation; and panic from trying to get a bleeding, crying toddler quickly and safely to the ER while driving on wet roads during a bad storm.
I am thanking the Lord that it was not worse than it was, and that Sarah is doing fine now. This morning, she even calmly told me what happened, "Rowdy bite my arm yesterday," with a smile on her face.
The Lord is using that "anvil" experience to hammer me out. I am choosing to love and forgive instead of getting angry. This goes against my natural tendency, and it is hard. In the end, I can be thankful for the Lord's protection and the strength of a child. Soon enough, maybe I will be able to smile, too.
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