Keep On...Keeping On...When Things Look Impossible

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Okay... So...what do you do with life, when it makes absolutely no sense? When things keep happening and you think to yourself..."How can I be so unlucky?" "What did I do?" "What sin did I commit?" Can I really attribute this to luck? Or is it fate? Can it be the hand of God? Or do the things that happen in our circumstances, are to be considered just that...as plain ole, ordinary, day to day life? How can one person seem to have it all...life, happiness, love, family, great careers, houses (sometimes more than one,) cars (many have more than one of these too,) and money in the bank. The list could go on. Then there are others...you know...those...well...it seems that no matter what we do...the grim reaper seems to be just one shadow behind us, following us and haunting us...as if to say..."I'll get you my pretty!" I'm not talking about the normal "trials and tribulations" that come to each of us, some more severe at times, than others. I am talking about...when these events come one right after the other...what seemingly, seems to be blow, after blow, after blow, after blow, after blow, after blow, after blow, after blow, after blow...and it just never quits!!! You want to YELL... "ENOUGH ALREADY!!! I'VE HAD ENOUGH!!! WHEN WILL IT BE MY TURN TO SEE THE MOUNTAIN TOP!!! HEAR THE BIRDS SINGING!!! FULFILL A FEW OF MY DREAMS???!!!" (Pause) Sigh... These blows seem to come in various forms...like...say for instance...some folks seem to experience a lot of tragic losses...the loss of loved ones, friends, colleagues, etc. Others...it's constant health issues, then there are those who have constant, severe, tumultuous, relationship issues and then others...it's financial hardships. And then if one can comprehend such a notion??? There are few of us...that can check..."all the above." I mean...just when you get past the current loss or issue...there seems to be just a "hiccup" of a pause break and BAM!!! Here comes the grim reaper knocking at your door again...bringing you yet, another blow!!! Down boy!!! Down!!! Back...back...back I say!!! Get the "HECK" out of my life, many of us whom are sitting at the edge of our seats, would love to shout this from the roof tops!!! Okay...so now that you have got those emotions out of the way. What's next? What happens...if you happen to be one of those who seems to be commissioned to a life of hardships, beyond the norm...how do you handle it? What can you do? Most...usually will try to first reason and come up with some kind of a game plan...you know...a plan of "attack" so to speak...to try to overcome these avalanches. Then...there are others who will rely on their faith and begin to pray and ask God for help! Actually...if you're like me...it's more like begging and a plea to release me from the madness!!! At times...prayer does seem to work and we feel a brief relief...only to realize that it's just that...a pause...you know, like an intermission during a Shakespeare play. Hmmm... Many unanswered questions I suppose??? Oh...and let's not forget, that you have that grueling task of trying to convince those around you...that you really are like everyone else...you know...normal. (If there is such a word?) Not an oddball so-to-speak. Even though there has been a written "quote" floating around the universal atmosphere throughout time...or is it a joke??? Hmmm...not sure??? In either case...the message is the same...and that is..."most people appear to be normal...until you get to know them." How many can say "AMEN" to that? Of course...non of us wants to admit...that we might be the "ones" that our peers might classify as "not-normal." So...we continue to put on our masks of "happy faces," filled with Christian lingo such as..."Hallelujah!...Praise The Lord!...Thank You Jesus!"...saying everything is fine...when it really isn't... So what classifies being "normal?" A college degree? A non-emotional mellow character, that has about as much spice in their personality as a stale, unflavored rice cake? How about the use of proper grammar, or a high position in the community? Or maybe a position of "prominent esteem" in a church congregation? How about winning a prestigious award for an accomplishment...that if you are honest...only God could of helped you get anyway? (Though there are some...who wish not to give credit...where credit is due.) Having the nerve to be all God made you to be, can be very scary!!! You may be one of those...whom...let's say...are like me! The unconventional type...who has no "wherewithal" to hide behind deceptions and pretentiousness...that are clouded with so much fictitious imagery's...you can't tell the difference from what's real, or a dream. In a nutshell...I don't kiss "butt" very well! I never have... I'm just me! I have no hidden agendas. No hidden motives. No hidden secrets. Nothing! If I do or say something...it's real!!! I've always told folks throughout my life... "If you have to wonder about my motives, through what I have said or done? More than likely...your conclusions are incorrect." I like to be straight forward about what's in my heart! Every time I received counsel with a licensed Christian counselor...I basically received the same feedback across the board! And that is...they have told me, that I'm as straightforward as they come! And most people can't handle it! Because it's too real...too accurate...and it brings about convictions that cause folks to want to reject the idea, that such an obscured revelation could be true! Yes...I have had to see a couple of those in my lifetime. If the truth be told...it probably would help a lot of folks, to give it a whirl, who have had to face some of the same challenges, that I have had to face in my life! Some folks think that they know and understand, all that I have gone through in my life...but they don't. I've kept quiet about a lot things. I had one counselor tell me, that no one could ever call me unstable. I laughed and said..."You wanna bet?" He proceeded to tell me, that if he, or any of his other patients, went through what I went through...they would probably be dead from suicide or in an insane asylum! They wouldn't be able to handle it! He went on to say, that I was a very level headed person, considering what I have been through. Not sure if I should consider this a compliment or not? I guess...I would have to consider how I looked at it...huh? I think some folks feel, that if they need to seek counsel, they will be forever "crowned" a fruitcake...so they either won't or don't want to go...and/or are afraid to admit that they have had to seek help...for fear of what their friends and/or family might think? In all honesty, all it makes you...is just human. Many times, it's not your fault what happens in your life anyway...but sometimes you need help getting through it. Now...the Lord has and is continually teaching me to deliver such revelations, with more tempered grace...however, there have been a few times...regardless of how hard I tried...when I didn't quite meet the task and got a few feelings bent out of shape and twisted into a pretzel. And if the truth be told...I was more hurt, than the apparent victims. Because, I don't like it, if I know that I have brought about discomfort to someone else's feelings. In fact..I hate it! However, of course...I have also learned over the years...that there are some folks you will never be able to please, no matter what you say or do! So...where does this leave us? Are there really any true answers and/or solutions...to these what seemingly, seems to be unfair circumstances? We all like to think we have the answers and want to offer our well-intentioned advice, to help soothe a hurting soul! But...the reality is...there isn't really any one particular answer, to any given situation. How can we say that we understand why we live in a country that is "flowing with milk and honey"...having enough to go around for everyone, 1000 times over...and yet...we live day to day, beside our fellow man...while one has more than enough and can enjoy all the comforts of life...exotic vacations...careers that fulfill beyond their wildest dreams and then have others...well (pause)...they are homeless and would be content just to get their basic, day to day needs met? The love of God, filled with His grace, mercy and goodness...really is all that we have to cling to these days. Many times, for some of us...it does feel like that He has forgotten about our dreams and left us wasting away on a dusty shelf somewhere...doesn't it? But as the scripture says... "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (I Cor. 13:12-13) Most of us on our best days...with as much wisdom as one could muster up...wouldn't have a clue as to why God allows things to happen the way He does. All we know, is that He promises that "He would never leave us or forsake us..." (Heb. 13:5) and that "all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose..." (Rom. 8:28.) It's just a matter of putting our trust in Him...because when you think about it...what other choice do we have? Though it may seem hard at times...it really is actually a privilege to do so... Really...isn't this what it's all about? Reasoning's, wondering and criticisms only dig a deeper pit for ourselves, not only for us...but for those around us. I used to think that my assumptions of why things happened the way they did were correct...to only realize, that there is only ONE true answer to every situation in life... His name is Jesus Christ... He holds the keys to ALL unanswered questions, problems in life and the rejections you might face from others, because of their limited understanding of what and who God made you to be and foremost...the purpose for which each of you were placed on this earth. In conclusion...I have to admit...that I am guilty of wishing, that I had a magic wand, that I could wave over myself, as well as for others and make all things right and new again. However...there is only ONE whose name is Jesus, that can turn your "beauty into ashes...the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness..." (Isa. 61:3)