Saturday, August 09, 2008

WANNA RUN AWAY?

We like matters of convenience as well as simple tasks. Ease is a most desired factor in American society nowadays. We prefer ease to stress and struggle. Consider possible encounters like:
  • Taking a college exam
  • Filing reports with the government
  • Raising children
  • Being an employee
  • Buying a house
  • Checking in at an airport

What’s one of the greatest desires for each? Will I be able to do this with ease? We don’t like hassle. We get flustered over wrangle. Delay drives us to the brink. And, repeating stressful moments sends some over the edge. Simply put, some just don't like anything called work. Have we missed something wonderful in the midst of these and other daily routines? Yes. We have missed the truth that all difficult things are productive.

J. Willard Marriott wrote, “Good timber does not grow with the ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees.” Paul wrote that affliction produces eternal glory. We live in a land of quitters. We quit families, jobs, and projects for one fundamental reason: they are too difficult. If we learn one great thing from Jesus it is to never give up. He was always in a tangle with religious leaders. He was blamed unfairly, beaten unmercifully and died; yet God raised him from the dead.

If life is treating you unfairly you have two choices; wilt from it or grow from it. Life isn’t for wimps. It works best for any who struggle because the result on the other end is even greater strength. Our failure isn't that some things hitting us are unfair. Our failure is we don't realize these entities are necessary for our growth.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great post sir, I need to be reminded not to give up when the going gets tough, in parenting, marriage, ministry, and in Christianity as well. Thnks for the reminder!

Trent