Link to Ted Edwards Home Page
Recently as I went through the checkout lane at K-Mart, I asked the cashier
how her day was going. "Rotten", she responded, "You wouldnt believe the
lady that came through my lane a half hour ago
it was terrible!"
Before she could go any further I replied, "You know, things could be a lot
worse than they are now."
Hopefully, I was able to brighten her day with some encouragement, if only
in some small way. The fact is -- life is full of peaks and valleys. When
were going through a mountaintop experience in this life, things seem so
right
so wonderful
and at times even too good to be true. The real
problem with the mountaintop is that we dont live there
its only a place
that we visit occasionally.
After we reach the peak, there is always a valley. The valley is different
for each one of us because were all at different places on the road of
life. But Im wondering if youre ever tempted to give up because the valley
seems too dark, too deep, too lonely, or too long?
Life would be perfect if it were sunny-side up all the time, but since its
often scrambled we all need courage to see things through. My
encouragement is to keep your eyes on Jesus and He will help you make it to
the other side of the valley. He is next to your side regardless of the
exterior circumstances around you.
Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, "Therefore we do not lose
heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being
renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for
us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on
what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what
is unseen is eternal."
We need to focus on what really matters in this life. The alternative is for
us to become side-tracked, eventually give-up and then quit. Its good to
remember that great successes are usually built on a series of small
failures. We know that Edison made thousands of failed attempts before his
light bulb glowed. Im told that Walt Disney was turned down at more than
300 banks before he finally got a loan to build Disneyland. And could it be
true that an oyster diver has to open 100 stinky oysters before he finds one
pearl?
While its true that this life has plenty of peaks and valleys ahead for all
of us; its also true that each day brings us much closer to the finish line
where well receive the reward were looking forward to. Christian, keep on
going
its worth it!!!
See you in Bible Class soon!
Link to Ted Edwards Home Page