One of the things God has been teaching me this year, and especially over the past few months, is that life is a blend. A beautiful blend. A constant mixture of good and bad, happiness and sadness, joy and sorrow. I think I'm finally realizing how true Christ's words were when he said, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33, NIV). He did not say that we would have it easy here on earth, nor did he say that we might have trouble. No. Christ said that we WILL have trouble, so to expect anything different is foolish.
When I was younger, I never understood why adults wanted Christ's return so badly. I mean, I definitely wanted Jesus to return, but at that point in my life there were still so many things that I wanted to do, wanted to experience before He came back. Now, while there are still things I'd love to be able to do, I understand so much better. I want Christ to return, too. This world is full of heartache and trouble. Even more than that, we are groaning, reaching, waiting, and hoping for our true home... We were not made for this world. As C.S. Lewis said, "If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world." This world cannot satisfy us; we crave our King and His perfect Kingdom. The heartache and trouble we face in this world are reminders that this is not our final home; we are just passing through.
But while we are here, we have the hope of what is to come. We have tasks to be done, things to do to serve our Lord, our King. This life is a beautiful blend. While there is sorrow and trouble, there is also God's joy and peace. We are not left on our own to fight. Yes, Christ said that in this world we will have trouble, but then He went on to say, "But take heart! I have overcome the world," (John 16:33, NIV). As it says in the Psalms, "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning," (Psalm 30:5, AMP).
There is HOPE, even if you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel yet. We have the hope of what is to come, and the promise of God's faithfulness. Look for what God is doing, be watching for the little blessings He places in your life, and remember that Jesus has overcome the world, so be hopeful and thankful as you wait on Him. Our God is in control, and He is loving and compassionate. Cling to Him, focus on Him, and trust in Him. He will carry you through whatever trial or trouble you're facing.
It's truly the bad times that make us appreciate the good times even more. Many times it is through the bad times that we grow the most. The hard times force us to take a good, hard look at our lives, our priorities, and our walks with God. For me, especially this year, it's been those times when I realize how much I have NOT been relying on God. It's the rough times that remind me that I am not in control, God is. Oswald Chambers writes in My Upmost for His Highest, "I must learn that the purpose of my life belongs to God, not me. God is using me from His great personal perspective, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him... Self-pity is of the devil, and if I wallow in it I cannot be used by God for His purpose in the world."
Even though the rough times aren't fun, I know that they serve a purpose. "Shall we receive good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2:10, NIV) While we may not understand our circumstances at all, God has a good purpose in all of them, even the bad ones. James writes that it is the testing of our faith that produces perseverance, (James 1:2-3). Some of the hardest tests are those that come in the form of trials and troubles. Yet God is in control, and He has a plan, a good plan. Wait on Him through the hard times, delight in Him during the good times, enjoying the simple blessings He places in your life, but praise Him, thank Him, and trust Him through both the good times and the bad times. When we walk in trust and thankfulness, I think that is when we truly start to see life as a beautiful blend, and as a beautiful gift from our Heavenly Father.
