Keep your head up

The Bible tells us quite a lot about tough times and how we should
endure them. It teaches that we should actually be happy when
we endure hard times, because it builds our character. It’s very hard for most of us to do though. Just as it’s difficult not to hate a
monster like Bin Laden, who laughs at the tragedy he has accomplished.

We don’t really know all of the reasons that God allows tough times to enter our lives. I suspect one reason is to encourage some of us to draw closer to Him. Sometimes it takes tough times, indeed even very tough times, to wake us up and make us realize that we cannot make it alone. We need God’s steady hand to help guide us through this tough, evil world. The Bible states that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.

There you have it, the perfect prescription for the pain of tough
times.

If we will get on our knees and sincerely ask Him to come into our life and to give us the strength, wisdom and clarity of thought to guide us through the crisis that we face, He will do so.

I also believe that we should concentrate our energy and efforts on
the cure, not the malady. It is nothing but a waste of time to wallow
in self pity, and/or to worry. We should spend that time trying to find a way to work our way out of the bad and into the good times. Time
wasted on worry or feeling sorry for ourselves is strictly time
wasted. Through the years I have relayed the following anonymous poem in WFTD several times. I never tire of reading it during tough times.

DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong , as they sometimes will, When the road you’re
trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are
high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is
pressing you down a bit…
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

When you are worried and full of doubt, Just remember that success is
failure turned inside out.
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit, It’s when things seem
worst that you must not quit.

_______________

James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will
draw near to you…