Facing Life

What should I write about this week? I have a note pad filled with thoughts and ideas all given their own page, to which I occasionally add a few lines at a time. Hours, days, or weeks later, something else will happen that seamlessly ties into the story and it weaves itself into a column. I don’t understand the process and have never tried to figure it out.

On one page of my note pad is a list of responses to my girls as they’ve walked through various relationships. Not enough time has gone by for that page to be revealed. Besides, I’ll probably never get permission from all four daughters. A novella published under a pen name may be my only choice.

But this week is different. I want to share something I read a few days ago when I picked up The Word for You Today devotional. It continues to roll over in my heart, taking on a greater dimension every time I think about it. If you’ve never had a struggle, trial, problem, or child (just kidding, pun intended) you won’t be able to relate to the rest of this column.  

When you face something that stops you in your tracks, sociologists claim you will handle it in one of two ways. You will give up or grow up. Giving up is easy, but dangerous for it begins a cycle often difficult to break. Yielding to the choice of facing the situation, developing the character to deal with the difficulty, and growing stronger in the struggle causes a person to grow up.

Noela Evans writes, “Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth. Tame the dragon and the gift is yours.” For each of us, the dragon is different, as is the gift. The gift resulting from your challenge may be a college degree, job, health, budget in the black, restored relationship, or sobriety.

May we all have the courage to face our challenges and find strength in the words of Isaiah 41:10,“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Ronny may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com