IRONY SMILES

Life certainly gives one plenty of these situations. Wish it didn't. And how we cope can be a challenge so often.

There is just something very annoying to the spirit to reach some point where your expectations are for reward and you end up being punished or suffering in some way. Just doesn't feel like justice or deserving.

Lately, I have had occasion to deal with a certain circle of writers that I know. One of them made a suggestion as to a given venue of writing I ought to pursue. And they meant well, but the reality is that their suggestion was made because it had been a choice that worked for them.

It didn't mean the same option would bring me success. Sometimes people mean well, but the truth is they honestly can't see beyond their own frame of reference.

In my case, I have learned that being obedient to the Lord does carry with it a certain appreciable irony. By that I mean you do things as he leads, but the consequences don't always relate to the choice as they do with other aspects of life.

For example, you can do something to help another and instead of being blessed with a reward you can end up having some crisis enter your life. I didn't say you enjoy it, just that it does happen.

Likewise being faithful doesn't always translate into success in this life. I think back to the lives of the disciples. Often they found themselves facing hardship even death despite their obedience to the Lord.

When one is following the Lord, he controls who your faithfulness bears fruit. There are times when that means simply feeling like you've been kicked in the groin when you are doing what you know is his will.

Does that mean God doesn't care about our needs? No, not to mean it doesn't. It is just that the frame of reference is eternity and that means there are times when for the sake of challenging out faith, he will test us.

So you face the irony moments. The ones where doing what is right doesn't bring anything except grief.

In the natural we can expect otherwise. However, when we surrender our way to God we have to trust him that the results are according to his will.

Sometimes we are blessed by the occasional reward, others just another trial. Learning to smile when it doesn't lead to a blessing is the challenge that is perhaps the hardest to embrace. But doing it faithfully without complaint or letting it ruin your joy is the part we often have to leave in the Lord's hands.