MORNING MANNA          5-15- 21

Pastors have the tremendous responsibility, opportunity, and privilege of trying to help people get through the most difficult days of their lives. But they also have the challenge of trying to get through such tough times themselves. In their effort to accomplish this we often talk about living one day at a time and we’re justified in doing so. but sometimes we lose sight of how difficult that day can be. I’ve heard people say, “You can endure anything for a day”. Really? That sounds good when you’re talking about others, but it’s a whole new ball game when you’re neck deep in trouble. Preaching is one thing, practice is another.

Thankfully we don’t know what a day might hold. What we do know is that there is the possibility that it could be the worst day of our lives. And it could happen any day. What then? What can we do when we can’t stop what’s happening and feel that we can’t survive it? What do you do when you can’t help yourself and you see no hope on the horizon? Reminding yourself of platitudes like “When you come to the end of your rope tie a knot and hang on” doesn’t help someone who feels like tying a hangman’s noose. Neither does it solve the problem when someone pats you on the back and says “Cheer up. I’m praying for you”. You appreciate their kindness, but your pain isn’t diminished. You pray, you try, you cry, but nothing seems to help. Now what?

Here’s the cold hard facts. Sometimes there is no way out of what you’re in. You can’t change what has happened, nor control what will happen. It is what it is! We didn’t choose it, we don’t like it, and we can’t understand it. You tell yourself that if you knew the reason it would help, but you don’t and nobody else has the answer, and God isn’t talking. So you’re left wondering, “How can I survive this?” “What can I do? What are my options?” You could fold up like a house of cards and collapse in despair. You can try to tough it out. You can search for someone to help. You can get bitter and turn the flesh loose in a mad pursuit to fulfill every lustful desire. Or you can accept it as God’s choice for your life and surrender your all to Him. This last option ought to be the first thing we do.

At the moment, due to our limited vision, it might appear that we are none the better for it. However, in the long run this is the best choice by far. God’s plan for us goes beyond the days of our life on earth. Not until we take eternity in view does anything make sense. You might not be able to get out of a problem, but you can get something out of the problem. What is so painful now can become profitable later. Naturally we wonder “How?” It just doesn’t make sense at the moment. And chances are it will never make sense until that great day when, as the song says, “We’ll ask the questions. He’ll answer why”. Until then we need patience. And unless we are willing to accept what God allows we will never have peace – and that affects us adversely in several ways.

Such patience requires faith and that requires knowledge – a knowledge of God’s person, promises, purpose, plan, and power. We can’t escape trials but with God’s help we can endure them. Not only can we endure them, the day will come in eternity when we will actually enjoy what we experienced. We will rejoice over the greatness of God’s love and wisdom that allowed these things to happen to us. If God’s promises about that aren’t true we can’t trust any of them and we are left without hope.

One of the problems in dealing with problems has to do with the feeling of wanting out of the problem so bad that we would rather give up than to fight through it. Some surrender to the problem, which makes things worse, rather than submitting to the Lord. Think about it! – HDS

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346