Trouble

WATCH OUT FOR THE SPEED BUMPS

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speed-bump
“The temptations in your life are no different
from what others experience.
And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation
to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted,
He will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
I Corinthians 10:13 NLT)

Life is not a bed of roses…and even if it was, you would still have the thorns! There is light at the end of the tunnel…but still you have to go through the tunnel! Every cloud has a silver lining…but a storm usually precedes its splendor!

I could go on and on with the sayings we’ve heard regarding the difficulties of life. But by this time, you’re probably saying, “Stop! Enough of this twisted optimism.” Indeed it is twisted. Since the time Adam sold his birthright to Satan for the knowledge of good and evil, man has been engaged in the same conflict…physical against spiritual. And unless you have the champion of our faith, Jesus Christ on your side, there is no contest! You lose!

Now when I’m speaking of spiritual, I’m speaking of both good and evil…for both exist in the spiritual realm. Some people aren’t aware of that and believe that spirituality only alludes to good and positive things. Not so! Satan himself is a spirit being and represents the most evil of intentions and inventions. It’s important to know that when bad things happen, he was ultimately the instigator. Never allow yourself to think that God brings bad things into your life. On that subject the Bible says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” [for temptation does not originate from God, but from our own flaws]; for God cannot be tempted by [what is] evil, and He Himself tempts no one. (James 1:13 AMP)

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 AMP) “So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7 AMP)

When we think of temptation, we usually think of the enticement to sin. But you can also be tempted by the adversities of life…tempted to be negative…tempted to give up! “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials [temptations] for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine.”
(I Peter 1:6-7a NLT)

I was talking with a friend the other day, and something she said gave me a perfect illustration of the unavoidable trials and temptations we face in life. Have you ever been traveling on an unfamiliar street and all of a sudden without any warning, there is a huge speed bump ahead? Before you can brake the car enough to make much of a difference, you are suddenly air-born! Your head hits the top of the car, the kids are squealing, the dog is barking and it takes you a moment to recover!

The speed bumps of life (trials and temptations) can also cause us untold and unexpected trauma. But just as you don’t park the car and say, “I’m never driving again!!!” You don’t stop believing and trusting and running the race. You continue to persevere, holding fast to your faith and confidence that the Lord will bring you through to the light at the end of the tunnel and to the silver lining on the other side of the cloud!

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
(Hebrews 10:23 NKJV)

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

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SUN . RAIN 2
For he looks throughout the whole earth
and sees everything under the heavens.
He decides how hard the winds should blow
and how much rain should fall.
He made the laws for the rain
and laid out a path for the lightning.
Job 28:24-16

“All good things must come to an end…” How many times have we heard that statement. And usually, whether we verbalize it or not, our next thought is, but bad things last forever!  And I must admit, sometimes it seems that way!

The saying, though true in its concept, is not a truth, but a half-truth. All good things must surely come to an end, but so must all bad things. Nothing lasts forever and there is definitely comfort in that fact. Sometimes there are things that we can do to effect the process and sometimes there is not. The only thing we can control in either situation is our attitude.

When the sun is shining on your face and life is good, bask in its rays…exult in its warm embrace. Throw off your cloak of worries, fears and inhibitions and walk barefoot through the lush green meadows of contentment with a song of thanksgiving in your heart!

But what about the times when the dark clouds gather, thunder is heard in the distance and only lightening illuminates your pathway? Those are the times, My Friend, when you put all of your trust in the Lord. In the midst of the storm, you confidently take His strong hand and learn to dance in the rain! Look up to the heavens and whirl and twirl between droplets and be refreshed by those that hit their mark, knowing that it is the rain that makes the flowers grow. And know above all, that the sun is still behind the clouds and will emerge again in all its splendor…if not today, then perhaps tomorrow. But it will surely return with a rainbow announcing its presence!

You must fight the good fight of faith each day no matter what the climate…stay the course and never, never give up! Set your face like a flint in the face of the storm and push through the wind gusts one step at a time…three steps forward, two steps back. It doesn’t matter, you are making progress and that’s what counts. And when the wind subsides and you only feel soft raindrops on your face, begin your dance once again… a dance of joy at God’s faithfulness!

And make a conscious choice to believe another familiar saying… “This too shall pass.” I love this verse from the Bible in Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”

Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Psalm 30:5 NLT

HOLD ON!

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DON'T LET GO GOD'S HAND
I cried out, “I am slipping!” but Your unfailing love,
O Lord , supported me.
When doubts filled my mind,
Your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
Psalms 94:18‭-‬19 NLT

Have you ever been in a situation where you lost your footing for whatever reason and someone near you grabbed your arm to keep you from falling? Did you welcome the help of that person or did you push them away? How foolish you would be to do such a thing! And yet at times we reject the help that is so readily available to us through our Loving Heavenly Father. Sometimes He extends His hand and we slap it away, choosing rather to fall into our pit of self-pity.

When we already have a tendency toward depression it is more difficult to resist when the trials of life come…especially when they persist like relentless waves pounding one after the other eroding our hopes and washing them out to sea. Let me give you a personal example, lest you think I don’t know what I’m talking about.

In October of last year I was visiting with friends in Florida where I stayed in their basement apartment. The day before I was to leave for home I fell on the stairs and broke my wrist and ended up having surgery where they inserted a permanent plate and nine screws. At the same time I injured my shoulder which caused me constant pain. The day before Christmas Eve I had rotator cuff surgery which resulted in twelve-plus weeks of physical therapy. It is now May and I recently had to go to my orthopedic doctor because my knees were bothering me. I had fluid on my knees and I had to have injections for three weeks in a row to draw off the fluid and insert gel. Now the orthopedic doctor says I need to go to therapy for my knees! Nooooo…not more therapy!!! Lord, what’s going on? Help me…I’m slipping!!!

Friends, I know what it’s like to feel like you’re going under for the third time. I know the feelings of hopelessness and despair. And I know how difficult it is to come up again for another gasping breath. Sometimes you just think it would be so much easier to stay down and experience that lasting peace, morbid as it sounds. Perhaps it would be for you…but not for those who know you and love you! I don’t want to leave that kind of legacy for my children and grandchildren. I don’t want to leave behind that message of defeat for my friends and acquaintances. I want to be a “Rocky Balboa”…a fighter to the end! The only one who can keep me down is me and I refuse to tap out! I want to be like the man who said, “I’m never down! I’m always up…or getting up!”

But I can’t do it by myself! Yes, I am a very strong-willed person, but sometimes my will to “get up and go” has “gotten up and gone”! Sometimes doubts fill the corridors of my mind like floodwaters overflowing river banks. I need the strong arm of the Lord to help me…to keep me from slipping. I need the comfort that only He can give…a comfort that gives me renewed hope and cheer. But how do I get it? I’ve begged, I’ve pleaded, I’ve confessed my sins, I’ve asked for a sign!  Nothing is working!

Have you tried letting it all go and giving it to Him, fully relying on Him to work it out? You may have to do it many times. The enemy of your soul won’t give up easily, but don’t you give up either! Be tenacious! Hold on to the promises in God’s Word like a drowning man with a life raft, and keep holding on until the storm has passed! His unfailing love will support you. And I’m telling you, if you’ll do this…it WILL pass!  Wow!  Look up!  Is that a rainbow I see?!!!

Lord, when doubts fill my mind,
Your comfort gives me renewed hope and cheer.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

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IN TOWEL 2
For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.
Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them
and will last forever!
So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now;
rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.
For the things we see now will soon be gone,
but the things we cannot see will last forever.
2 Corinthians 4:17‭-‬18 NLT

This verse just came to my remembrance this morning as I was taking care of my little dog, Lucy. If you’ve read many of my devotionals, you know that the Lord often speaks to me through my interactions with my pets. I have written many a devotional about Rosie, my cat who has gone on to kitty heaven now. But…back to Lucy, my little four pound Yorkie, who was a recent gift from friends who thought she would be a perfect companion for me. And they were right! What a blessing she is!

Lucy lost a toenail on her right foot recently and had to be treated for it. I have to give her antibiotics twice a day and soak her paw in Epsom Salt for five minutes three times a day. Now I can say without any exaggeration that Lucy hates taking the antibiotic and from the look and smell of it, it certainly is justified! The only up-side is that she gets a treat afterward. She doesn’t really like the foot soaking, but does tolerate it much better than the antibiotic. I keep telling her that this ritual is going to make her paw much better. (Don’t tell me you don’t talk to your pets!) But I’m certain she thinks that I must be punishing her for some unknown sin, although while the foot is soaking she does gets to cuddle in my lap on a fluffy towel.

It was while this was going on that the Lord brought the verse in Corinthians to my mind. Lucy doesn’t like what’s going on right now. It seems harsh and hard and is very uncomfortable. She doesn’t understand! Why would her master who purports to love her allow such things?! Do you see where I’m going with this?

Many times in our life things happen that we don’t understand…troubles come, depression comes, heartaches come, disappointments come. We don’t understand! We’ve been doing the best we can. We search our heart for some unconfessed sin. Is God punishing us? There must be a reason! But let me tell you, My Friend, sometimes the only reason is that we live in a fallen world full of chaos brought on by the enemy of our soul. Sometimes there is no reason except this…“Life Happens!” Lucy didn’t do anything wrong, nor did you. Lie back in your Master’s lap on the fluffy blanket of His love and just chill for a while.

We have to encourage ourselves with this tried and true phrase…“This too shall pass!” The trials and adverse circumstances that are affecting my life now won’t last forever, although they are quite uncomfortable. I can’t let myself get bogged down in the mire of self-pity and hopelessness. God is ALWAYS for me and never against me! I refuse to look at the present troubles, rather I will “fix my gaze” on Jesus, Whom I know is working behind the scenes to make a way of escape for me! I’ll keep traveling down this bumpy road of life with its potholes and sinkholes and manholes…and I will do it in joyous expectation that my deliverance may be just around the next corner!