Trials and Tribulations

Reader's Digest's Life's Like That had a humorous story about a family that went camping in a brand new borrowed tent trailer. Only there for three days, they were awakened in the night by the gut- wrenching sound of bear claws tearing the canvas. They managed to escape to their vehicle - but the tent trailer wasn't so fortunate.

Before leaving the next day, they decided to build a fire to warm up. But the wood was damp, not lighting easily. And they did what most people would do - throw some gas on the fire.

That wasn't a great idea. Just when they thought things couldn't possibly get worse, the flames licked and then ate much of what was left of the canvas tent trailer.

What a disaster!

I can hear people asking, "How could God allow that to happen - wasn't the bear enough?"

I'm sure that's what this family thought. At least they probably thought that until they met with the insurance adjuster.

'"It's a good thing you set it on fire," he said, "because your insurance doesn't cover bear damage."'

As Christians, our lives are often like that. We yell and complain and throw up our hands at the things God allows in our lives. We scream in frustration when we lose our job or our child becomes ill. Just as the couple thought the fire was a dreadful disaster, so too we think the trials in our lives result from punishment when instead they result from God's love for us.

We have to realize that just as the couple didn't know what their insurance did and didn't cover before they met with the adjuster, we won't know what God's plans are and what He was hoping to accomplish in our lives until we stand before Him.

It's because we don't see the beginning from the end that we don't understand. Only the Alpha and Omega knows the beginning and the end, the plans He has for our lives, plans for good, to prosper us.

The problem is that we look at the Bible's promises and, being worldly, when we see the word, "prosper," we immediately think of wealth, fame and fortune. When God sees the word, "prosper," He sees spiritual values, holiness and humility.

We need to get in sync with God!

Perhaps the prayer of our hearts shouldn't be that God removes these "problems" from our lives, but that God changes our perspective - that we begin to see with His eyes. And that our focus will change from what is fleeting and worldly to that of eternal value.

There is no better moment to begin than now. So bow your head...