There is some truth to the ole' saying, “…When the going gets tough … the tough get going.” Well, in these United States, there are not too many of us that have it very “TOUGH” when we look at other places like Africa, Haiti, China, India, and some of the other developing and under-developed countries around the globe. In the US, I am confident in saying that maybe… 90% or more of the homes have running water. The ones that do not, probably don’t have to go very far to get it. (example: Our local Amish folk.) In MANY areas of the world, there are people who have to walk miles to get drinking water every single day. Here in the US, we don’t even walk to get our groceries, unless by choice. We are very blessed in this country. “In just one day, more than 200 million hours of women’s time is consumed for the most basic of human needs — collecting water for domestic use. (www.water.org ) In addition, MUCH of that water is not sanitary. … However, I digress.
Yes, we are a truly a blessed people here in the US. When we look at the rest of the world MOST of us here have it DARN good! In there I think, lies our problem. Because we are so content with our double incomes, 2 cars, and all the comforts of home we are very self-sufficient. Apparently our self confidence makes us think we don't need God. Whether we intentionally feel that way or like me, we just seem to SLIP into that mindset over time; so many of us live our lives this way. I have had this mind-set during several extended periods of time in my life. I seldom gave God much thought. I had everything I needed so I wasn't 'forced' to give it much thought. There was nothing that I had to “WANT” for. LIFE IS GOOD! Sound familiar? Heck, I was so busy with my life I didn’t even take time to make friends when I first moved into this area, much less spend time with God. I really had it all! Or, so I thought.
Then comes those ‘valleys’… OH, how things can be different. It may be a health crisis, a marriage crisis, job crisis, or God forbid -the death of a loved one that KNOCKS us off our “independently high horse.” These are the times when we truly need other people, relationships, and times that we especially need God. I know I did. I hit rock bottom several years back, with a health crisis, job crisis, and marriage crisis, all at once. I was devastated and in deep depression. Even worse, I felt very much alone. The ‘poor me, self-pity party’ was long and drawn out. Whom do you think I finally turned to? You guessed it, God! It took awhile, but HE was the only one that could help me. I did attend a church some 10 years before in another city, but I did not have any church, family, or friends in this area here for support. It was just God and me for about 2 years, although I did have some valuable counseling. I am not looking for pity because although I was not being faithful to God, HE was most certainly faithful to me. Many, many years ago, He had adopted me as one of His own. I may have forgotten, but He didn’t and He was there waiting for me to make myself present to him once again. He was there, again as my Savior ... there to rescue me from the depths of despair. As I recovered my senses, I realized that in my past the happiest times were always when I was in right relationship with God. The low times and/or even the times of my “artificial” security of self-sufficiency were NOT truly happy times. It is a lesson well learned and one I am determined by the grace of God Himself, to never let happen again.
Today, I do not have the security of a double income. I live on less than half of what I did before. Yet somehow, it seems that I have so much more! God has allowed me the grace to be happy with my lot. He has been so good to me in ways I never thought possible. Yes, I still struggle financially, but I always have enough to keep food on the table, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and water in my glass. There is that old adage… Is the glass half empty? Or, is the glass half full? It’s a good question. Because I truly want to serve the Lord in my life my glass ... OVERFLOWETH with His gifts of Faith, Grace, Mercy, Hope, and especially His LOVE. Thank you Lord! What more could I want?
I ask you the question ... Are you truly happy? What is real happiness? How do you know when you are “really” happy? Don’t wait for those deep valleys and TOUGH TIMES to come before you find out. HE is there waiting, even now.
God Bless and Keep You, until next time ... Peace.
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