Friday, May 26, 2006

Hard Times in Rough Spots

I recently had the honor of comforting a dear friend of mine going through some truly hard times. As I listened to her sorrow and heard her pain and grief, I could not help but feel the same and cry just the same. I know God never promised us joy in every situation. Especially those rough spots we get ourselves into.

It seems in our lives, we have our own plans as well as God;s plans. Of course just like the straight and narrow road leads to life everlasting, the winding and broad road to eternal death, so it is with plan A from God or plan B for ourselves.

When my husband and I bought our home five years ago, we never planned on living the heartache we have since the first winter we spent here. Two weeks after the rain came, our toilet in our front bathroom refused to flush, the bathtub would not drain, and our horses were standing in knee deep mud in the pasture. The first year when we went to move furniture around, we found 18 inches of black and green mold heartily growing along three of the inside bedroom walls. We are still fighting this predator to little avail. We tried blaming God, the woman who sold us this house, the real estate agent who helped us purchase this house, eachother, and then finally the true culprit, ourselves. We had to finally take blame for the most part for the havoc we brought upon ourselves and our children for the past five years.

God says in, Matthew 11:30, "His yoke is easy and His burden is light". We carry heavy backpacks because we have filled them ourselves with rocks or because we do not lay them down at the altar for Jesus to carry for us. In I Peter, God tells us to "Cast your burdens on Him, for He cares for you."

Next time you are going through hard times and are in a rough spot, look unto heaven, meet eye to eye with your heavenly Father, and pour out your heart to Him. He says in Hebrews 13:5, "He will never leave you nor forsake you." Often we get ourselves into rough spots that cause us hart times. Let Jesus lift you out of despair through repentance and confession. He says in I John 1:9, " If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins, AND cleanse you from all unrighteousness." Your hard times can become times of victory, and the rough spots can be made smooth and calm with Jesus. Philippians 4:13 reminds you, "All things are possible through Jesus Christ." Be encouraged!