raining again?

Who knew the saying, "When it rains it pours" is actually true?

Ever notice life goes in extreme waves? When it's good – it's great! Good things seem to pile on and you are overwhelmed with a sense of how amazing life is – how great everything is. On the flip side, when things go bad, they really go bad – and keep on piling on and on and on. We have seen it in our own lives and the lives of friends around us. It's never easy right? Never spread out so you can enjoy things longer, or so the hurt isn't as intense.

In my life, it seems to always roll that way. If I stub my toe in the morning, I know I'm also going to slip and fall on the ice, be late for some appointments, get some marginally bad news, and drop my lunch on the floor (or on my shirt). I have just learned to accept that once it starts rolling down hill, it's going to 'be one of those days.' At the same time, when good things happen, they seem to really happen all at once. Sun shining, hitting all green lights going into work, having a stress free day, getting home early, and being able to spend time with my family. Seems like it is always a package deal.

Does it have to be that way? Is it really all or nothing? We were talking about living missionally in WC (my small group) a few weeks ago and I brought up the fact that we have a choice - we can choose to help people down the good day, or bad day road. There were 2 commercials that really helped to illustrate this.

The first one illustrates the affect one can have by simply doing good.

I have looked everywhere, but can't find the second commercial - I think it was a Comcast commercial (or one for slow internet). In the commercial, a guy was getting grumpy waiting for his computer to do what he needed it to. When a co-worker came by and said, "Good morning," he mocked her and put her in a bad mood also. This continued throughout the office until at the end of the commercial, they were all fighting. It was the exact opposite of the commercial above (and was also quite funny).

It's up to us (in some ways) to choose which road we will go down - even when it starts rolling the way we don't want it to. I am learning that life is never easy for long periods of time - and I guess that's ok. There are definitely times when I need to be reminded of that though.

Reading 1 Peter 5, I learned something new today. A verse I have always heard growing up is verse 7, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." Makes me feel good that I can just off-load all that I am carrying around with me (and here's where it gets good) because he CARES for me. It's not that he has to, or wants to, but he will take the stress and heavy weight I am carrying because he cares for me - truly and deeply. Crazy.

There's more - seems like I rarely read the rest of that chapter though. It goes a little something like this:
5Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

8Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

I seem to always forget about the 'humble yourselves' part - and also the 'lift you up in due time' part. I think I always read that as 'lift you up in your time.' Not the case though. It also puts it on us to be self-controlled and alert - we don't get a free pass at this - and also warns us that our enemy prowls around like a roaring lion - meaning things can get bad at any time and we must be ready and willing.

The part that keeps me going is that it says Christ will restore us and make us strong again - I just wish they left out the part that says it won't happen until after "we have suffered a little while"...