In the real world...

Can't you just hear the whiny, childish protests from your toddler, who comes face to face with a situation he or she can't process, "Mom, that's not fair!"?

How many times as adults, did we enjoy telling our adolescent offspring who voiced a similar protest, "In the real world, life isn't always fair." Dare I ask how many of you rather enjoyed supplying that retort?

Matthew 5:11 (NIV)

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Many things in life are unfair, and nothing can be done about it but pray for God's will. That is quite a lot when you stop and think. To recognize and acknowledge a situation which reeks of dysfunction, and ask God to work it out for the good of everyone, is a real faith step. Turning a "not fair" panic cry, into an "I trust You, God," statement of faith, shows progress.

I need to put my trust in God, and not in myself. He has been so faithful to me in the past, I need to learn to trust Him. I know He will continue to be a loving and faithful God tomorrow.

When life isn't fair, and situations arise to break my heart or cripple my bank account or fracture a relationship, God is there and God is good, all the time!

Dear Jesus,

Strengthen my faith this week. Show me where I need to trust you more. Fill me with confidence only the Holy Spirit can bestow.  Amen.

Matthew 5:1-11

A Cliff Hanger

Matthew 5:1-11

When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.
“You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you.

Over the years, I have learned that God is most evident to me when I am crying out to Him for help. I love how The Message states the beatitudes, like…”You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope.” If I hadn’t arrived at the ‘end of my rope’ so many years ago, I don’t know where I would be today. I don’t think I want to know.

It was as I was dangling off a cliff and hanging on to the end of a rope that I was brought to my knees. I began to search for a meaning to my life, a purpose or reason to go on. That was when God showed up. And because my fingers were torn and bleeding from the rope burns I was open to the healing balm Jesus extended to me. Blessed...

Many years later as my husband was facing his final hours, Jesus made Himself known in a big way. The words, “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you,” became clear. During that season Jesus was sitting between Dave and me, listening in on our conversations and painting a picture of the new home that was waiting for him. Blessed...

Read over the rest of the Beatitudes and see if you can identify with a few and recognize blessings that happened to you because of those situations. Share them here if you like, or in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.