Hello Once again from
Community Christian Fellowship,
This week, I've had the
opportunity to work closely with
someone in their teens that is
beginning to understand the
realities of growing up. It's
not easy for them. At times,
life is just flat out
overwhelming and the
responsibilities this young
person is facing are causing
many emotions to occur. I've
also had the opportunity to sit
and visit with a person who is
facing the reality that their
life in this world is coming to
an end. They are also very
emotional, and the realities
that they are facing are also
very overwhelming at times.
As I left the hospital the
other day, it occurred to me
that both of these people's
situations seem to be the same
in many ways. Both are
experiencing things they've
never experienced before. One is
adjusting to the reality that
life is much more complicated
and scary then they have ever
imagined. The other, is
adjusting to the idea that the
only thing they have is the
faith that beyond this life, God
has something much greater in
store for them. Both are scared,
but they're doing OK And then I
asked myself, do the realities
of life that constantly seem to
challenge us ever end? I had to
chuckle as I said to myself,
"no".
I was reading an article on
the human brain the other day.
In it, the author stated that as
we get older we actually get
happier. And I had to ask
myself, am I getting happier as
my life progresses down its
path. The apostle Paul stated
that when he was young, he
thought and acted as a child.
But when he was older, he acted
like a "grown-up". The
implication seems to be that we
just don't think about things in
the same way as we age.
So, the question for us is,
what do we see in ourselves that
is beginning to have a grown-up
perspective? But, in order to do
that, we have to be challenged
with the fact that we may now be
thinking like a child, and what
do kids do when adults challenge
and direct them in this way?
They usually get pretty stressed
out and afraid. Why is this so
important?
If you are in a situation
that is making you stressed, or
even fearful, why do you think
that is? What's really
happening? Life is happening.
And, who are we leaning on for
support and comfort; ourselves?
I certainly hope not. I hope we
are all leaning on God. These
are the types of situations that
give us the opportunity to see
and know God in a much more
"grown-up" way. Or, we can get
mad, resentful, angry, bitter,
and blame everyone around us for
the troubles that we have. Who
does that sound like, a child
maybe?
God promised that he would be
with us as we faced the
struggles and temptations of how
the ways of this world tempt us
and make us go astray at times.
He wants us to learn that even
then, He is there. And to know
that if we believe that,
something very special happens
to us on the inside. We soften,
in a good way. We grow up, we
become mature as Paul stated.
Will it ever end? I think you
already know the answer. Until
next time, Pastor Mark
