The little engine that couldn’t…
That just doesn’t sound as good..
Who would want to read that book? Who asks to be discouraged? Who has ever admired someone’s pessimistic attitude?
I don’t know, but not me.
But I’ve been thinking about the hard times more as I have experienced plenty lately. My dear friend/ boyfriend has been in the Middle East for almost 6 weeks now. It’s been just about that long since I have seen a pair of my best friends. I’m home. I’m alone. I’m removed from my community of friends that I had developed throughout college. I’m working full-time at my old job while my classmates are moving on to my dream job, or at least one of my ideals as far as nursing goes. (For a bible study ice breaker, I said “Professional Traveler” :)). I felt terrible yesterday after sitting for my nursing boards, which I have been told is normal, but still… not fun. That’s just a quick snapshot of my life lately. Oh and support has been trickling in, but I’ve been praying for a flood.
The hard times just aren’t as much fun… but I am convinced that these times are the times that the Lord will grow His children the most.
So where is the growth? I’ll wait to see it, but I have hope that He is working on it and faith that it’s there and coming.
Sometimes it’s hard to see things clearly when you are so close to something/ in the middle of it all. It takes time to recognize how He makes everything beautiful in its time & works things together for good [Ecclesiastes 3:11 & Romans 8:28].
I recently drove by a church sign that said, “Faith is believing that God is telling the truth.” I pondered that for a while. I more I thought about it, the more I liked it—especially as I thought about all the promises that the Bible holds. How different would my life look if I lived every second of every mundane day as if I was NOT GUILTY? If I was perfectly Loved? Washed, Cleansed & Justified? FREEEEE….? Delighted in by my Creator? Pleasing in His eyes? Completely forgiven? If I remembered the grace upon grace upon grace that has been LAVISHED upon me by Him? Probably a little different… How could I not? He has promised, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” [2 Corinthians 5:17].
Final partially random thought: I listened to a Francis Chan Sermon probably over a year ago and he gives the following scenario: Jesus comes to your church and offers you two choices for the upcoming year. 1. He offers you that dream job. He says “you know that vacation you’ve been dying to go on? It’s yours.” “You want to get married? I’ll bring you the perfect spouse.” :It will be a good year; you’ll have a lot of fun. It will be easy.. but you won’t know me (Jesus) any more.” OR 2. “It will be a hard year.. lots of trials, but you will learn to depend on me & you and I (Jesus) will get so close!”
Which one do you choose?
