TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS

News coming into our home during the past weeks has not been that good. It’s not that we always expect everything to be nothing but good news but things seem to be a little skewed to the wrong side of the scales lately.
Young parents tend to think when the children have grown that the concerns for their well-being will lessen. I am here to tell you that is definitely not so! The parental responsibilities lessen but many of the concerns remain those of a mom and a dad. Flu bugs, job changes and/or needs, houses sold and bought, children/grandchildren born and adopted, breaking bones, developing life-threatening ailments…all these and more. Does it really matter if the children are 3, 30, or 40? We’re still parents no matter how old we are and they are still our kids no matter how old they are! And if the news is dire we want to do what we can to help. When there is good news we want to join the celebration!
Friends of our generation are developing severe health issues: some illnesses can be helped by rather severe surgical procedures, others require long-term treatments that are often worse than the ailment’s symptoms had so far produced, making the patient wonder which was the better choice to have made.
Other friends are losing several family members and longtime friends in death within a short period of time, leaving them feeling there is no one left to talk to who understands the time of life when patriotism was high on the agenda in everyone’s mind, freedom to roam the countryside without fear of molestation of any kind was true freedom, water was free of pollution, people were never too busy to be helpful to a neighbor. Sound like “pie in the sky” to you? Just talk with some of the folks who lived through the Depression Era and you might be surprised at what they can tell you.
World news that invades our homes through multiple sources is certainly not particularly encouraging nor is the current ongoing battle of mud-slinging on the homefront.
Have you ever wondered what you would do if you ruled the world? Thankfully I never even played with the idea knowing it is way beyond anything I could begin to imagine, but I do know Who is ultimately in control and I have always been thankful to be able to leave it in His hands. He is patient allowing us freedom to choose our various paths all the while desiring that no one perish. (“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 NASB) I wonder how He remains so patient but He is God. I am not.
More comfort is summed up in the few words that Jesus spoke to His disciples that can be applied directly to the state of the trials and tribulations in our lives today as well:
“…in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b NASB)
©Marilyn Sue (Libby) Moore 2-25-08