DEALING WITH REALITY...Cont.
Hebrews 11 lists men and women who are heroes of faith. Some were noted for what they accomplished while others suffered persecution and endured incredible hardships. These passages confirm that Christians are not excluded from experiencing both good and bad times in life

David, the man after God’s own heart, experienced times when life was really good. He also mentioned times when his enemies attacked him and life was less than pleasant. David knew what it was like to face both the good times and the bad times of life. How did he do it? How did he stay positive? David said that “in the day of my trouble I will call upon thee” with the assurance that God would answer him (Psalm 86:7). David also acknowledged God for the good times and said, “thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee” (Psalm 63:3).

As Christians, we may well be facing the most difficult times we have ever experienced. I am praying that will not be the case, but there is no promise to the contrary. Regardless of whether the times will be good or bad, Peter wrote, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6,7). Paul said, “Rejoice evermore” (1 Thess. 5:16) or as we sometimes say, “Praise the Lord anyhow!”

If you place a piece of clay in the sunlight, it will soon become rock hard, but place a wax candle in the same sunlight and it will become pliable and melt. In each case, the result is not so much from the sun as it is from the make up of the clay and the wax. The clay resists the effects of the sun and becomes hard and unyielding. The wax, on the other hand, yields itself to the rays of the sun and melts in its warmth.

In bad times, we can rebel against the Son and become hardened like clay, or we can yield to the Son and melt like wax in his warmth. If we are called on to face difficult times, which will you be...clay or wax? Will we become hardened and bitter or yielded and pliable in God’s hands? The decision is ours.