A lady wrote me yesterday and her letter was near identical to at least 50 others that I’ve received lately. After detailing her many problems she wrote (in part) this series of excerpts: “I believe the Lord will provide for me”. . . “I have lost so much sleep”, I’m very scared” . . .
I used to have an old dog named Poochie and he was one of the best dogs I’ve ever owned and loved.
Poochie would tree squirrels by day and coons and possums by night. As a youngster it was great fun traipsing through the woods after him day and night, hunting whatever would go up a tree. Unfortunately, despite his redeeming characteristics old Poochie was not the perfect hunting dog, especially when he began to get some age on him. He would get tired and soon enough I would notice that he was lollygagging along ambling along beside me instead of out scouring the woods earnestly hunting for game.
He was a smart old dog and knew full well he should be out hunting and not visiting with me. When I would see him slacking off I would scowl at him, and he would immediately go to the first tree that he encountered and would halfheartedly begin barking his tree bark and then throw his head straight up and howl as though he was “treed” and eyeballing some critter high up in the tree.
Unfortunately for him I wasn’t buying any of it and he was never going to win an academy award or even a golden globe award with that act. He would kind of look at me out of the corner of his eye to see if I was “sold”, and his mouth would kind of wrinkle up and then with a funny expression on his face he would pucker up his lips as though he had something in his mouth that tasted bad, (like maybe my pet parakeet).
I wasn’t fooled in the least and would look at him with my meanest look and scold him, “Are you lying to me?” He would give me a chagrinned look as though hurt that I would dare question his integrity but would immediately slink away with his tail tucked between his legs picking up speed with each step as he headed on back into the woods where he would resume hunting again, knowing full well that he had been busted.
Hmmm . . . Old Poochie reminds me of so many people who have been writing me lately about their problems. They seem to want to approach life by feigning that they are working hard to resolve their problems. In reality they are sitting around waiting for someone else (including God) to do it for them.
Some folks don’t seem to want to put in the earnest hard work and difficult effort required to really solve their problems themselves and make it in this old world. Then there is the issue of faith. How can someone say with a straight face that they are afraid of their problems in one sentence and state that they believe that the Lord will provide for their needs – In the next?
If you say that you are fearful over your situation, and also that you have faith; it seems like an oxymoron to me?
Each day I look in the mirror and I am the least bit surprised to see grey stubble covering my face. Much to my disgust, it’s there every morning. I dislike shaving and personally I think I shouldn’t have to do it EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE! But you know my little tirade does nothing to prevent having to get that razor out EVERY SINGLE DAY OF MY LIFE and shave that grey stubble off or face the consequence of looking like a homeless wino again, or worse, itch like I’m covered up with redbugs, (chiggers).
Hmmm . . . Some things in life are certain. The Bible teaches that our days will be short and full of trouble and in this world we will face tribulations and trials, or is it trials and tribulations? It also states that we will work by the sweat of our brow and fight the thorns and the thistles. I could add, “And if you are a man you will have to shave every day”. And further – It will happen whether we like it or not.
So, the moral to this story is that we should accept that we are going to face things that we don’t want to face each day as a “requirement” of this fallen life. When we do, we need to simply get out there and earnestly “hunt” and find solutions to our problem(s). Or we can attempt to lazily walk along with our tongues hanging out like old Poochie with the added caveat of bellyaching every step of the way about our woes and crying “poor little old me” every time our foot hits the ground driving everyone crazy in the process and never resolving any problems.
Don’t bark up the wrong tree. Questioning why you are enduring trials is a waste of time. “Everyone” faces them. What is important is finding solutions. We should pray and ask God to strengthen us but understand that it is we who must do the heavy lifting. Quit waiting around to hit the lottery or for someone else to lift you up. Lift yourself up. I did it and so can you, but no one can do it without exerting some effort. And for God’s sake quit whining about it already. Remember we are at war and war is hard ALL OF THE TIME. Most of all have FAITH.
Don’t have enough faith and want to get some? Seek God through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other Christians and make God your highest priority and pray.
Romans 8:26
“. . . the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,”