Life has turned out to be harder than I ever imagined.
I knew there would be challenges along the way, but I guess I never thought they would be lined up to battle me, one after another. Just when I think that a season of sunshine might be in store, here comes those storm clouds again.
Thunder and lightning have become intricate parts of the soundtrack of my days, and let’s face facts, I think maybe Eeyore was on to something. I have always longed to be Tigger, carelessly bouncing my way through my adventure and looking to hit higher heights with each launch. Then, some unexpected trial or tribulation comes rushing towards me, and I find nowhere to run or hide.
Before you know it, in the end, that guided missile has hit me once again. If you have your theology mixed up, one might conclude that God doesn’t like me, never mind love me, but that is not the way it goes.
Sometimes, it is easier to count those bomb blasts rather than behold the Lord’s blessings. I don’t even like myself when I start to whine and complain. I look at my family and my flock, and I know God has been doubly great to me.
When I look into my grandchildren’s eyes, there is no way to properly account for the surge of joy that soars through my soul. My children are all following the Lord and living lives that are making eternal impacts on all those around them.
My youngest son, Joel, is about to graduate high school and begin preparing for his life mission at Taylor University, in Indiana, and I have been married to the kindest, most giving woman I ever met for 39 years. I deserve none of these divine delights. I rejoice in the salvation God has given me, but to be clear, I have never forgotten how selfish and sinful my old self was.
Can we agree that following Jesus is not a one-time happening as it is a lifetime process to make progress? Let’s give each other more slack than usual.
We are all under construction, and nobody has reached their pristine classic edition yet.
Some days, I want to sing of God’s love forever, and there are others where I want to get the heck out of here. There are moments where I understand who I am and love the call that God has placed on me. There are other times when I want to scream at the top of my lungs and be set free from my skin.
Paul said it best, when he confessed he had moments where he wanted to be raptured immediately into Jesus’ presence and other days where he knew being on earth was exactly the position God assigned him. I don’t think that it is that unusual to be singing the blues of this place while busting out verses of glory in your next breath.
We aren’t schizophrenic as much as we are in transition between life here and eternal life with God, and they told me that hot flashes from the hormone shot would be shocking. One day, Jesus will call my name, and I’m not lying when I tell you that He won’t have to call me twice, but I am not quitting until I get wind of the fat angel singing.
A lesson I have learned through this latest cancer chapter is that there is no one-size-fits-all for everyone.
Normal doesn’t exist, and its definition should be disqualified from our vocabulary. It means “conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.” None of those words are endearing to a believer.
Romans 12 tells us that we are not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the Spirit, as He renews our hearts and minds. When we allow that kind of movement within our souls, there is nothing usual or typical about that.
Every face tells a story, every day is a gift, and every step is a potential miracle. If there is anything I know about Christianity, there is nothing you can expect to happen that God can’t, at any time, at His discretion, literally interrupt your program with something that blows away our illusions and gives us a glimpse of how awesome and beyond magnificent He truly is.
Mets announcer Bob Murphy used to tell us fans to fasten our seatbelts when the game was coming down to the last crucial three outs. God never promised me an easy ride without turbulence, dips and dives. Why are we always so addicted to comfort when what we need to be sure of is His company.
When my face turns green from the whirling and it looks like I’m about to lose everything, Jesus is in the seat beside me, like He promised. He assured us that He would never leave or forsake us, and that is true in the MRI as it is on the GWB (You need to be a North Jersey kid to understand that last reference).
I don’t always know where, when, why or what, but I know the who. Will I ever throw out my agenda and just surrender to His activity? I know He won’t give up on me, and there is no way I am giving up on Him, so ready or not, we continue to ride.
The ride of life is stronger than any man or woman could script. The Holy Spirit holds the pen, paper and me at the same time.
ED. NOTE: The author is the senior pastor of The Lighthouse Church, 1248 Route 9 South, Court House.
