DAYS WITHOUT STRIFE

I often ask myself how come life can’t be easier? Why doesn’t ever reach a point of real rest?

And even though I understand that is reality, it doesn’t prevent me from wishing it were otherwise. From what I can tell I’m not alone in that sentiment.

The other day I was reading this one blog where the creator was making the comment about how life really didn’t making any sense and as a result we all turned to some crutch to cope. I didn’t get the impression this person was advocating a given option, just making an observation.

Still, I find myself, and I’m sure I’m not alone, going through the exercise of occasionally thinking once I get passed some hurdle in my life it will finally get better. Or I fall into that mental trap of bargaining by presuming I’ll reach some plateau of bliss.

What really bothers me as a Christian are the reminders that not only is life not going to reach of point without some problems, but for the believer that also mean sin will never totally disappear from one’s life. That’s one insight I would prefer not to know. However I don’t think the Lord would grant us that kind of existence when we have so many sins and problems that will never be purged till we our with him.

And once I’ve survived the silliness of hoping for some oasis of serenity, I come back to the words of our lord that in this life we would have “tribulations.” It might not be as popular as wishing for Heaven on earth, but it is the truth.

So eventually when I get through my feeble attempts at excusing my sins and finally surrender to laying them at God’s altar of forgiveness, I return to the more perfect dream and hope. The point where I come of rejoicing that the day will come when I will like so many be in the presence of my Lord and will at last find the days without strife.

This might not be the answer anyone desires. And I’ve known plenty of people, both believers and non-believers that simple chose to ignore this fact.

But for the person in whom God’s spirit resides, eventually we shall be drawn back to that path of faith. To walk along the jagged path and not let those thorns of sin and imperfection keep us from trusting.

Which is perhaps the only real source of peace. That means we should simply know and trust in the Lord for his forgiveness and salvation.

May God be merciful and longsuffering with all of us as we stumble on our journey of faith. And to give us the strength when we do for the sake of trying to avoid the pains of life attempt to pretend we can find peace without our Lord. Acceptance of that not being reality is in truth the only means we can truly have to honestly know the type of serenity, which we crave and dream about.