Thursday, October 13, 2011

Day 13 Reality Bites

Remember that movie from the 90s called Reality Bites?  I never really watched the entire movie but I sure loved the soundtrack.  There is so much truth to that short statement.  Reality DOES bite...sometimes like a mean ol' pit bull.  I've been reminded lately that life isn't always perfect.  In fact, it rarely is.  My life is really good.  I have absolutely no reason to complain but every now and then, reality bites and the storm clouds come rollin' in.  The truth is not everyone is going to like me.  I'm going to disappoint and hurt the people I love.  I'm going to be gossiped about and I'm going to gossip about someone else (although I really HATE when I do that).  My kids are going to get in trouble at school.  I'm going to say a curse word once-in-a-while.  Money will be tight.  The weight will have a hard time coming off.  And I'll burn dinner badly enough we'll all have to eat pb&j sandwiches.  But God never promised that life would be easy.  He warns us in Scripture that "in this life you will have trouble."  I believe the lessons in life come down to one thing.  The issue is when reality DOES bite, what do I do with the dog?  It's tempting to kick the dog and lock it away in the dog house.  But that never eliminates the problem.  Life will bring problems.  Life will have its share of storms.  But what do YOU do when it starts to rain?  Do you complain about getting wet OR do you praise Him in the storm? 

Lord, I want to learn to praise You in the storm.  I want to learn to be grateful for when times are good and grateful for when times are bad.  And when this life brings me trouble, help me to keep my eyes on what is eternal.  Remind me what your Scripture says.  "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is unseen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." -2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

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