A WORD FOR TODAY, June 14, 2024
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
“Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings. But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:8-11, WEB
I have a friend who answers the question, “How are you?” with “I woke up on the green side.” While this is optimistic, it isn’t the most uplifting point of view. It presumes that my friend expects to be below the green; in other words, dead and buried. Not really a very optimistic thought! Of course, my friend is on the far side of the hill, and he believes that every day spent living and breathing is a gift. He’s not concerned about death, but it is definitely in the back of his mind.
I am probably guilty of the usual answer, “Fine,” although at times I’ve thought about other ways that the question can be answer. “It is a great day to be alive.” “I am thankful for this beautiful day.” These are far more joyful ways to think about every day; we should try to rejoice in the moment without thinking about the reality of our brief time on the green side. Quite frankly, I look forward to eternity, and I confess that one of my favorite sayings is “Come, Lord Jesus,” because sometimes I’d rather be with Jesus than here, so I can empathize with those who see life with the expectation of death. I have had my share of bad days, but I know I need to remember to face each day for what it is: a gift. We all have reasons to worry, but there are also plenty of reasons to rejoice. When we focus on the negatives, we open ourselves to the temptations of the devil.
In western society, we face the struggles of drugs and violence, worrying about our children every time they walk out the door. We worry about disease, pollution, and poverty. We are anxious about the decisions we make and how they will affect our lives and the world around us. In our personal lives, we are concerned about our health, finances, family, and friends. We experience suffering of all sorts, emotional and physical. What has you worried today? A sick friend? A busy schedule? A lost relationship? The wrong job? Does your worry ever cause you to despair? What makes you afraid?
We each have anxieties, which are part of our day to day living. These worries cause strain on our physical and emotional health. Even more, the worries can be unhealthy for our spiritual health, and the devil is always lingering, watching for an opportunity to turn us from God. We need to face the fact that each of us has issues that we focus upon daily that waste our time and energy. When we recognize the stumbling blocks that can take over our lives, then we can do something positive, even if it is just an optimistic answer to a common greeting. The best place to begin is with an attitude that today is a great day to be alive, rejoicing that God has given us another day to praise Him.
God recognizes that there are issues in our lives that need to be handled. We do need to eat, have shelter, and care for our health. There are problems in our society. He does not expect us to go around laughing gaily at every moment in the midst of pain and suffering. However, it is important that we do not let our troubles make us anxious to the point of giving a foothold to the enemy. We are to keep our eyes focused on God and His amazing grace, remembering that we are not the only ones who are suffering. Keep in mind the great men of the Bible, such as Joseph and Job. They faced incredible hardship, stayed faithful, and were restored to a greater glory. Our greater glory is life in Christ Jesus, now and for eternity. Stand firm in your faith and tell the devil to take a hike.
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