23Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen. -Ephesians 6:23, 24 (KJV)
I heard a story the other day which was both sad and amusing. It seems there was a teenage girl who went to work for a local fast food restaurant, she worked there for one week, received her first paycheck, and then promptly quit. With her newly acquired wages burning a hole in her pocket she hurried to the bank and cashed it. The amount of this relative fortune was undetermined as this detail was omitted from the story. The young lady placed the cash in a wallet which she then proceeded to misplace while on the school bus. A day or two later the wallet reappeared on the bus minus the cash.
We can only hope a number of valuable lessons were learned from this incident such as responsibility, commitment, learning to keep track of valuables, and the importance of having an active bank account. Sometimes during our greatest triumph tragedy can strike and the unthinkable can happen. As one insurance agent said in a moment of bitter sarcasm, “They never wreck old cars – only the brand new ones!” Wallets stuffed with cash get lost the first day of vacation, flat tires happen on crowded interstates, car keys become lost on the day of the big presentation at the office (this is also the morning when the car battery decides to die), honor students have run-ins with the law, and the dog actually does eat the homework. This last one happened to my son recently. Our new puppy did eat his homework. Bad, bad dog.
The trials of life will come in all shapes and sizes and in all forms and situations. The key is to be ready. If we have the Lord in our hearts then we will daily be acquiring the spiritual strength necessary to stand firm during life’s struggles. A brother in Christ reminded me the other day that nothing takes God by surprise. He knows what is coming, and if we take time to seek Him in prayer the Lord will daily empower us so we will not fall apart during the hard times.
Everyone needs an anchor, we all need stability, and we all need hope of a brighter tomorrow. No matter what you are facing please know the Lord stands ready to help. Christ has come that we might have life and have it more abundantly. We can have the peace of God in our hearts even during the darkest days of our lives. Stand firm, keep looking up, and learn to laugh and appreciate the good times. Let Christ lead you through the storms.
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