Everybody Has Stuff

Everybody has stuff. You know what I'm talking about - things in our life that weigh us down; seemingly permanent complications that set us back. It may come in the form of challenging health, heartache with a family member ... or two ... or three, work related pressures. Whatever it is, none of us are exempt. We all have stuff. Some of us would never want to voice it, but I'd be stating an honest fact when I say that our lives would be easier without it.

We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. It is going to be that way until the day we die. We have to get the thought out of our heads that life is supposed to be fair. Again - we live in a deficient world. We are all dealt a hand of different cards. The question is, what are we going to do with what we've been dealt? If it is something we cannot change, I would like to encourage you to embrace the challenge, knowing that it's there to make you stronger. Just as the refiner heats gold to temperatures that will melt out the impurities, so our heartaches and trials work as tools to refine our souls, creating sensitivity, dying to ourselves and thus having more genuine love for others. The bible tells us to count it all joy. (James.1:2-4)

If you are a follower of Jesus, the bible also tells us that all things work together for the good, for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.(Rom. 8:28) If you've never made the decision to live for Christ, there's no time like the present. No matter how good we try to be, none of us can get to heaven on our own. Jesus is the only unblemished person who walked upon the earth. He took the weight of our sin upon Himself, died and rose again to heaven. Those who depend on and have yielded their life to Him are then covered by His grace. They are now adopted into God's family, where one day, we will all be together in that perfect place called heaven. With that said, you too, can have everything working together for the good. Make the decision to become a follower of Christ. It's never too late; no one has ever gone too far. He takes all things and makes them new!

... So what are you going to do with what is on your plate? Many of us would love to jump right into the dessert. The vegetables don't always taste so good and some of us are not very big meat eaters. But without the sometimes dull / sometimes bitter tasting veggies we would not be healthy. And it is so important to regenerate our cells and feed our bones and muscles with protein. We need the bitter with the sweet. We need the meat with the milk.

For many of us, the toughest trials to swallow are the very ones responsible for some of our most life changing victories. Through life's unpleasant situations, we can learn to depend on the faithfulness of our Father. Even though pain may be present, we can expectantly trust in the One who makes all things new and works it out, not only for ourselves, but also for the good of others.