Hope In Christ

We were in court on Monday, responding to a summons to cease production of any material similar to that sold by Convergent.  We were served the initial papers on Wednesday, and then Friday afternoon, we were served again with the order to appear in court on Monday.  It was a cheap shot by Dal and Co. to catch us unawares and unprepared to defend ourselves in any way.  Fortunately, we retained lawyers in July who have been working on our case against Convergent, and Kent and Lee were in a meeting with them when the notice arrived.  They worked in our behalf through the weekend, and Monday afternoon were prepared to represent us well in court.  

Several positive things happened in court.  The judge did not demand that Wellstone cease production.  We can't make Convergent's same product, but we're not in violation of that order, so we're not super worried.  We didn't have to put up a bond which could have been as much as 100K, and while we probably could have done it, it would have been difficult.  And in surprising news, our next court date is scheduled for August 30.  While that is a very short time to prepare, it is also speeding up the whole process rather than dragging it out for months or years.  We came away feeling good about the results and ready to work hard over the next two weeks to gather evidence. 

Yesterday, however, things fell apart for me emotionally.  I spent the day full of rage and hate, angry that Dal, who has been cheating Kent, and by extension me and our family, for years, is bringing action against us, as though he is the aggrieved party.  To take the position that we are hurting him in some way is beyond my ability to understand.  He has been unfair in what he's paid Kent, he's withheld dividends, he's behaved unethically, and he's accusing Kent and Lee and Aaron of cheating him.  I can't wrap my head around it, and yesterday, had I run into him in my daily wanderings, he would have known exactly how I feel about him, which isn't positive.  

But I don't want to feel like that.  I don't want to spend time and energy and emotional bandwidth being angry.  Those feelings only affect me.  Clearly, Dal doesn't care one bit how I feel.  He's not losing sleep over what I'm going through, so I shouldn't waste my emotion on him.  While he has wronged us, I need to alter my feelings for my own benefit. 

This morning, I opened Come, Follow Me to read in Romans.  One of the personal study sections is titled, "The eternal glory that awaits the faithful far outweighs the trials of mortality," and references Romans 8:17-39.  Under the heading it says, 

Just a few years after Paul wrote this epistle, the Saints in Rome suffered horrific persecutions.  What do you find in Romans 8:17-39 that might have helped these Saints when persecution came?  How might these words apply to you and the trials you currently face?

I read these verses in Romans looking for words that might help me in the trial we are currently facing, even as I contemplate an actual trial at the end of the month.  Here are the specific verses I underlined that resonated with me.

18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

24 For we are saved by hope

25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can [prevail] against us?  The "prevail" is in the footnote, a JST change from "be." 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of  God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors (the footnote here says, "abundantly victorious") through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

While I don't necessarily believe that this scripture is telling me that we are going to win our court case, I do believe that it is telling me that I and we, through hope and reliance on Christ, can overcome this trial.  This challenge will not separate me from Christ unless I allow anger and hate to continue in my heart.  Christ Jesus our Lord will be with us, He will bear us up, He will see us through.  Whatever the outcome, if we remain faithful to Christ, we will be more than abundantly victorious. 

Come, Follow Me also quotes Sister Linda S. Reeves from a conference talk she gave in October 2015.  I remember her talk which was titled "Worthy of Our Promised Blessings."  She said,

I do not know why we have the many trials that we have, but it is my personal feeling that the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond our understanding that in that day of reward, we may feel to say to our merciful, loving Father, ‘Was that all that was required?’ I believe that if we could daily remember and recognize the depth of that love our Heavenly Father and our Savior have for us, we would be willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surrounded by Their love eternally. What will it matter … what we suffered here if, in the end, those trials are the very things which qualify us for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with our Father and Savior?

I know that whatever the outcome of this trial (literal and figurative), we will be fine.  We have placed ourselves in God's hands, and He will not desert us.  The Spirit has testified of the truth of this to me.  I know God loves us and that Christ, our Savior, will make intercession for us and will support us through our lives.  I'm extraordinarily grateful for this reminder that has strengthened my testimony today.