Catchy title, yes? It's actually the title of the current sermon series at church, the thought being that this is the time of year when folks are "supposed to be" joyful, thankful, full of good cheer and merriment...but often are not. I was curious as to what exactly he was going to preach about.
This morning he mentioned the statistic that if given the option, 46% of people would "opt out" of Christmas. 46%! That's a lot! Although Christmas is my least favorite time of year, and I probably would opt out if I could, I have made a concerted effort this year to embrace the season. I decorated early, I've been relishing the music, whistling in stores, and trying to spread joy. Really. As so my usual "bah humbug"ness has abated a bit.
But for others, the season is kind of a smack in the face if we truly are going through a trying time. I learned this morning that one of my co-workers lost her mom yesterday...this while trying to deal with a serious injury to one of her children the week previous and trying to be strong for all her friends who lost their homes during the Hurricane (she lives North of here which was badly hit). "All is merry and bright"? Probably not...
There can be different "hells" (trials, storms, etc) that folks go through (you know this already)...Loss, diagnosis, wayward kids, finances, marital strain, infidelity, physical limitations--the list goes on and on. You know how in church sometimes a pastor will make a statement like, "How many of you struggle?" and you hear groans from everyone...Or, "How many of you are just exhausted?" and you see heads nodding all over..."How many of you are going through hell right now?" and you can hear the murmuring start from one end of the pews to the other. No, Christians are not exempt from the trials of life. It's a given...and a given I have come to both accept, anticipate, and to respond with faith.
So the challenge today from the pastor, and if he said it once he said it 25 times, "Remember--no matter what...God is in control and He has a plan for your future". Yup...already know it and joy in that. Further, we were told to go out and spread to joy to those who are going through hell...so that their statement can be transformed into "I'm going through hope"...I made a pact with myself to "up" my spread of cheer to all I can in contact with.
But something got to me a bit...I recently read an article in Christian Woman magazine that talked about survivor's guilt....not from an accident or storm...but because of a particularly good stretch of blessings or life overall. As I watched the heads nod around me this morning, affirming that, "Yes, I AM going though hell", and as they played a video of some woman in our church who was just diagnosed with breast cancer, started treatment, and then found out her son had kidney disease, I took an inventory. There must be something wrong in my life currently...There must be something besides the usual day to day annoyances and heartaches for my kids that I can say is causing me to suffer so I can also join the ranks of the tormented Christians...right?
But no...or else, not yet...or else, not that I could identify. Financially we're good...health-wise we're good...we're both employed, our families are in tact, healthy, and not currently going through any troubles (at least that we know of and/or at least that don't directly affect us)...So why? Have we gotten the phone calls that rock our world? Yes...but not lately. Have we suffered along with family as a diagnosis is given or as they walk closer to and then enter the other side of life? Sure...Has the "not knowing" of the last several months regarding my employment been a weight to carry? Yes...but has it been hell? No...
Perhaps I'm stronger that I think...Perhaps my faith runs deeper than I know...Or perhaps we are just enjoying an abundance of blessings for a season before a major storm hits. I feel like even writing all this will either cause Satan to begin to scheme, "Oh yeah!?" and get a sudden storm ready OR that God will just shake His head and begin to carry out a plan to take my faith to an even deeper level with something that will rock my world...Because that's life, yes? Accidents will happen, people we love will die, a diagnosis will come, homes will be destroyed by fire or storm, jobs will be lost...But I DO go back to the mantra my pastor tried to ingrain in every one's head today--"No matter what--God is in control and He has a plan for your future". And whatever "hell" people go through, it alwaysalwaysalways has a purpose. My prayer is that I never say that I am going through hell...because I have faith that Jesus is with me amidst any trial...and that He is in control...and has a plan for my future.
No comments:
Post a Comment