There are times I call church members walking through difficult seasons of life and I hang up the phone inspired by their faith. Instead of whining, moping, and "woe is me", their faith is unshaken.
I just got off the phone with a 70+ year old widow. Two weeks ago she had cataract surgery in her left eye and last week surgery on her left leg. This week her air conditioner went out. Next week she has cataract surgery on her right eye and the following week surgery on her right leg. She never complained one time during our phone call. She talked about how she has been ministering to an NEHBCer with a dying sister this week, raved about Pastor Tim's sermon last Sunday and her bible study teacher, cried when telling me how desperately she wants to get past these medical issues so she can return to serving at Farrington Mission, and shared about her plans to go on one of our London mission trips this fall. Wow! Oh yeah, she is still less than two years removed from her husband of 50+ years passing away. I hung up and prayed for the Lord to give me trust in Him like she has.
One thing I've noticed: the people who are rock solid during difficult seasons of life are those who have been consistent and serious students of God's Word. Christians for whom Christianity is primarily about emotion, hype, and how they feel, mope and waver during hard times. They don't have deep roots to anchor them when the storms blow in. Christians who go deep in God's Word, study Scripture, believe and obey it, get to walk through difficult seasons like this lady--with her joy and faith in tact.
Psalm 1 is true indeed. The determining factor is how one goes about treating the Word of God. Is your delight in the bible? Do you meditate on it day and night? Do you discipline yourself to be a student of the Word? Or is Christianity for you about being trendy, emotional, feeling good, and hype?
I pray that when it comes to God's Word, we want to get off breast feeding (milk) and start eating solid food (meat).
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