Christmas Faith in Difficult Times

The news reports are all in. “Black Friday” sales were up from last year, so that was good news for the economy. The second half of the report shared that while spending was up, the individual spending limits were down. For individual responsibility I am going to say that too is good news. It’s not everyday that from media reports we are able to hear and see good and bad news and in the end both reports are good.
Finding a spirit of gratitude provides two sides for reflection as well. In a moment of illness or a situation that provides with more questions then answers it is easy in providing care to others to find your own reasons to be thankful and appreciative, yet finding yourself unable to change a circumstance through your many good intentions or efforts can be frustrating and challenging. There are things that we each know about ourselves and I know that my spirit is one that finds great satisfaction in helping others. In 1984, I began a personal battle with a crippling form of arthritis. When you find yourself addressing such issues as a young person is not the dream we think of growing up. When challenging times knock on our personal door in life, many emotions will fill your life. Not immediately able to gleam great wisdom at the arrival of such, there is one thing I know as a Christian. The passing of time will prove the reservoir of spiritual life. While emotions are a part of life, emotions cannot be the guiding source of our decisions. The Bible talks about Faith is the substance of things not seen, and that blessed are those that believe who have not seen. Personally I had to come to my own understanding with my Savior, Jesus Christ. I had to come to terms with His plans for my life and not my own. I had to face never before asked questions about what I believe, not what others have told me, nor what I had heard. Learning to drop my bucket into my own well and drawing from that source is the place I found that “peace that passes all understanding”.
When the challenges of life hand us the unexpected it is natural to feel completely caught off guard, but we should not feel abandoned. Pausing to stop and slow could be the exact action that will allow you time to reflect, regain your composure and draw from your spiritual reservoir of strength. This source will be overflowing once we connect and convince ourselves we have the strength to pull the bucket up from our well. The hopelessness that seems overwhelming has a remedy. The solution is the practice of faith and thanksgiving. You will discover the need to walk to your well often. Could be your walk will be a crawl. Or even still, you may feel that you are being pulled or dragged along the wayside by a friend who is repeatedly saying, they care.
Once scripture for these good and bad news days that will allow us to be positive no matter the report is Hebrews 13:8; Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. Keeping a shining smile on the outside of your heart will help you to express the confidence of the inside. Trusting the scripture that says, “He does all things well in His time.”

Until then