New or Old?
I know that generally speaking we say, ‘old or new’, but I wanted to turn it upside down because life can be turned upside down so easily; a chance meeting, a wrong decision, health issues; the list is endless.
Like many others, I’ve had my fair share of disasters and bad things happening to me, however, I have always said that it’s what we do with those things that counts.
This was born out for me, and I felt confirmation in my heart when recently, Bishop Stephen Cottrell visited and spoke at our church. He got us all thinking about what it might be that God asks us when we go to heaven. He went through a few questions that we might ask each other, for example, “What do you do for a living?” and then added that he didn’t think those would be the sort of questions God would ask.
The question +Stephen thought God might ask is, “What did you do with the hand you were dealt?” This question ties in very nicely to the parable of the man going on a journey and so he decides to entrust his wealth to his servants. (Matthew 25: 14 – 30). One was given five bags, one two and a third was given one. The servants with five and two bags, respectfully, invested it and it made more; unlike the third servant with one bags, who simply buried it for safe-keeping.
When the wealthy man returned, he was very pleased with the two servants who had invested what they had been trusted with wisely – and he entrusted them more. He was not happy, however, with the third servant who had simply buried his bag and he took it away from him.
I don’t know about you, but I would never have chosen the hand I was dealt, but what I have done is try to use that hand, moving forward, for good, hence writing, “Life After Death: A Mother’s Story”.
So, are you looking up and seeing an impossible climb, or are you attempting the climb, step by step? If you do start with one step and face one at a time, before you know it, you will be at the top, looking down at what you have achieved.
This Christmas, why not ask yourself:-
How can I stop focussing on the seemingly impossible, and find the ‘possible’?
How can I use the hand I have been dealt for the good of others?
You are likely to find that you will not necessarily see or feel instant results, but like any investment, growth takes time. Don’t be discouraged, take each step one by one and focus on each good thing as it happens. Instead of letting bad things take over your life, learn from them, perhaps store them for future use so that they can be turned around for good use.
When things get you down, glance over your shoulder and see how far you have come. One day you will reach the top. It will be so much nicer and rewarding if you have made the hard climb and when you turn around to look back, you see something beautiful has been created, darkness being turned into light.
