The Stepping Stone

Jesus told us we'd have trouble, and He was right. I wrote that recently, but today it's been on my mind all day. The news I've heard today has ranged from runaway children to uncertain job prospects to businesses in trouble to marital stresses to physical illness, and a plethora of trouble in between. It's sometimes overwhelming and hard to have a wise word in the midst of such circumstances. 

We were discussing troubles this morning and my nurse summed up the situation nicely. "Well, the Lord delivered Jonah out of that whale, and He got Daniel out of that lion's den, and this ain't nothing but a stepping stone." I'm not sure I've ever heard truer words spoken. 

We serve the Great I AM and He can handle whatever comes our way. He has a plan, He knows what it is, and His plan is for good and not evil. That plan of His is about the future, so we don't have to be afraid. It may not look like we expected, but it won't surprise God. In fact, He recommends we be still until He tells us to move. No matter what happens, we do not need to be afraid, because God is our safe place, and He is always ready and willing to help us in time of need. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)

“Be still, and know that I am God! ...” (Psalms 46:10 NLT)

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. (Psalms 46:1-2 NLT)

If you are faced with trouble and there seems to be no way through, take heart! The One in charge of the entire universe is available to help you, and all you have to do is ask. After all, that trouble is really just a stepping stone in disguise. 

The Pep Talk

We had upper respiratory symptoms at our house over the weekend. Ryan's nose was draining like Niagra and my throat was having a super sandpapery day. I, of course, did my Dr. mom best. The first antihistamine knocked Ryan out cold. He was still drowsy the next day. A little leery of my treatment offerings, he accepted a second medication, hoping a multi-system cold preparation would be better. It wasn't. Finally, I tried the old-standby, "triple soothing action" cold lozenges. 

Much to my surprise, I found "a pep talk in every drop".  You can read it for yourself. These multi-purpose cold lozenges offered helpful comments such as:

Tough is your middle name.

Go get it! 

Hi-five yourself!

Don't try harder. Do harder!

Put your game face on!

Dust off and get up!

Be resilient!

Put a little strut in it!

The motivational lozenge messages were interminable. Best by 10 March 2015. After that date, I suppose, strut will be irrelevant and you can change back to your original middle name. In my self-pitying doldrums, I began to reply to the lozenges. My middle name is NOT tough! What we need to go get is more tissues! I don't want to try harder or do harder!  I just want to sit on the couch!On and on. 

Truly, the multi-symptom soothing lozenges did very little for my symptoms, but they did provide brief entertainment.  They were not, however, the comfort I expected in my nasal misery, and left me wondering how the "pep talk" idea got started. Who thought people with a cold or the flu would want to read these "encouraging messages"? Did they think it would help sell more lozenges? It was odd, to say the least, and reminded me of old Job's friends. They, too, were pretty poor comfort when he was down and out. Maybe they meant well, but they didn't quite do well, did they?

In times of trouble and sickness, we want real comfort, real support, not some silly slogans on a lozenge wrapper. How grateful I am that we have a Comforter who is with us in all our troubles and never leaves us, no matter how difficult our situation. As we enter the Advent season, give thanks for the Prince of Peace who not only gave us His peace, but left the Holy Spirit to give us comfort in every trial, every sorrow, and never leave us or forsake us. Now that's comfort we can count on.