Keeping the faith in these hard times isn’t as difficult as it might seem. Yes, these are challenging times and we’re all under a lot of stress but somehow keeping the faith in good times and in hard times works in a backwards sort of way. It might be counter intuitive but keeping the faith in hard times seems to come easier than keeping the faith in good times.
Keeping the faith in good times should be easy enough, yet in good times, when things are going our way, we tend to forget our faith and forget to be grateful. It seems counter intuitive but we see it over and over again in history. When times are good, people tend to assume times will always be good and that they deserve the good times and the good life is taken for granted. The Bible is filled with story after story about how people forgot God when times were good and they just sort of “partied on” leaving God and their faith out of their daily lives.
One would think that it would be much harder to keep the faith and remember God in bad times but somehow that’s not the way it works. The Bible is also filled with story after story about how in hard times, the people came back to God, counted their blessings, and relied on God all the more. So, it is with us as well.
When times are hard, like now, we tend to remember God more, call on God more and become more thankful and appreciative for what we have. It’s that way with me and I suspect most of you too. It’s been a hard year, for sure. The past year has been filled with lots of challenges, changes we didn’t ask for or want and losses that cut deep into our heart. But, when I think of all the people I’ve loved and lost I’m not bitter but rather thankful that they were in my life at all. When I think of how we haven’t been able to gather in person in church this past year I’m not happy about it, but I’m thankful for all the ways our members and friends have kept in contact, continued to pray for one another and be faithful with their gifts of finances and prayers. I’ve seen your faith and it’s inspiring.
Life is about perspective. We can count our losses and remain stuck in them or we can count our blessings and move on to new life and new blessings. We can remain mired in grief or anger or negative thinking and life will pretty much play out just like we feel it. Or, we can be thankful, count our blessings and live with renewed hope and faith. It’s all a matter of choice isn’t it? Yes, I think it is.
May you be filled with hope, with joy, with belief in the goodness of man and may the future be exactly as you see it to be. Keeping the faith, remaining rooted in God and being hopeful is your choice. What choices do you want to make? Your choice, your life!