By Jim Miller
Gray, Maine
There are many things in life we can not control. You can't stand out in your yard in the rain and shout for it to stop and expect it to happen. You can't control what others say whether it is good or bad. You can't change the seasons just because you don't like winter. You can't stop friends and family from passing away when it is their time. And you can't make others love you or care for you no matter how hard you try.
But, what if we were to pay closer attention to those thing we do have power over? What if we treated people the way we want to be treated regardless of how they treated us? What if instead of lashing out in anger we held our tongues in check? What if we stopped trying to control everything and looked to God for the answer?
I am not sure why but people seem to want to demand everything go their way. Is it not a sin to be selfish? To think so highly of ourselves or to make ourselves the victim in every circumstance we are in? We so easily become slaves to sin rather than servants of God the Master of all.
Part of being a Christian is learning to accept things you can not change knowing that there is a reason for everything that happens even if we do not understand it. There are going to be trials and tribulations throughout ones life here on this earth we can choose to let them defeat us or we can choose to trust in God and overcome them. We can choose to wallow in our misery or we can pick ourselves up dust ourselves off and move forward.
There isn't a Christian around that hasn't asked God how much more does He think they can bare? I know I have many times. Yet here I am still facing things that are out of my control and all I can do is trust in the Lord to see me through. It is that faith in God that comforts me during the difficult times in life. Knowing that God sees it all and that one day if I remain obedient and faithful all this will be over and He will bring me home to be with Him at the end of time.
We have to keep our eyes on the prize we have to endure the struggles and hardships of life knowing it is but temporary and that one day we will have true and lasting peace. It has been said many times that there is nothing on this earth worth losing your soul for, and this is true. If any one of us lost all they had would we not still be rich beyond measure because we have a loving God who cares for us in good times and bad.
Folks we can't stay caught up placing our hope in the things of this world. The older I have gotten the more I understand the words of Paul who said he had learned to both abound and to be abased and that he had learned to be content in whatever situation he found himself. Paul placed his trust in God as we should be doing.
I have found great comfort in the scriptures and the promises of God. We are truly blessed beyond measure. In Philippians chapter four and verses four through seven it says….. Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
What a precious promise is made to us in …. Heb 13:5-6 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
We often fail to remember to turn to God and be thankful when things are going well for us. However, we must remember that we are to be grateful and thankful to God at all times. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (Rom 5:1-4)
We are going to face many trials and tribulations the question now is……
How will we face them?
