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As I begin this blog, I want you all to know that I have not had to face tragic information from a Dr. or have a military officer knock on my door and give me a deadly report about my soldier boy, or a police officer notifying me of a fatal car accident that involved a loved one.
Oh, I have had my dad and father in law die of cancer, that has brought sadness and sorrow to our families. I have a mother who lives in a nursing home with a brain disease and weighs 94 lbs. I have a mother in law that is in mid stages of Alzheimer’s. And I have had a few challenges of trying to help my children survive their teen years but I have never had a child commit suicide or hear the Dr. inform me that the x-rays show I have cancer; or my spouse has a heart disease that gives him a short time to live. I don’t want to go through any of those challenges, but only by God’s grace, I have not as of yet, gone through those heart-wrenching trials. Sad to say I know friends and family that have gone through these terrible events.
If we were to face any trials such as those mentioned, how would we cope, or how should we cope?
If someone placed 2, three gallon size pots in front of you, the pots were the same shape and color and you were to choose one pot to pour ingredients in and stay focused on that pot alone, which would you choose? You may say, ” What difference does it make if they are the same size or shape? I forgot to mention to you that one pot is labeled “Pessimism” and the other pot is labeled, “Prayer”.
In the pot labeled, “Pessimism” we often place it on the stove and turn the burner up on “Hi”. We stir it. Stew on it! (complain, and gripe). We mope, worry, worry and worry some more and then add several cups of tears.
Now in the pot labeled, “Prayer”, we can see in the pot, many many spoonfuls of God’s love. Then we can add a cupful of God’s mercy. We rely on His Lordship to know what is the best for us. He controls our destiny. Next we stir in a healthy portion of gratitude.
As I continue to write this, I am aware that it is so easy for my hands to move quickly across the keyboard because it is easy to type or say, all of these words, but very difficult to live. In our physical state, we would allow the pot of “pessimism” to come to a full boil and after it has boiled a few hours, we would remember the pot of “Prayer”. We then fall to our knees begging God to intercede on our behalf and grab our cell phones and notify all of our friends and families to light the fire under the pot of “Prayer” because we know we need to rely on God for our spiritual state.
Whatever you are going through: financial struggles, divorce, losing a job, or dealing with a rebellious child, set the pot of “Prayer” on the stove first; and allow God to light the way and ask Him to give you faith to trust Him and to glorify Him in your trial.
Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
(Max Lucado’s “Grace for the Moment” Vol. II)
