Pastor Jerry Dunn
One day, everything is going as planned. Life couldn’t be better. We are healthy, happy, and prosperous. We feel as though we are on top of the world.
But then life changes. Our world is suddenly turned upside-down, and we feel as though the weight of the world rests upon our shoulders. I know because I speak from personal experience.
On April 3, 2012, I had a major heart attack. On April 5 I had three-way bypass surgery. That same day, after being moved back to intensive care, I suffered a stroke.
Life, for the moment, looked very bleak, but praise God I understood that “All things work together for good to those who love God, and are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Someone once said to me, “If life hands you a lemon, then make yourself some lemonade.” Though it is not Scripture, I like the saying very much.
Life is what we make of it. You have the choice to be encouraged or discouraged. You have the choice to give up, or to go on. You have the choice to be happy, or to be unhappy and miserable. It is all up to you.
The apostle Paul, in writing to the Philippians, wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
Without question, Paul wrote from his own personal experience. He had suffered many things at the hands of other men. He had suffered hunger, nakedness, being shipwrecked and spending a night in the sea. At times he must have felt all alone; but even though he had suffered so many things, God knew where he was, and was very much in control of every situation and circumstance. Therefore, Paul was able to rejoice in the midst of great suffering.
Paul also wrote to the church at Thessalonica, and he gave them some standing orders. He wrote, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
It is true that sometimes we do not feel like rejoicing. In fact, there are times when it seems best to grumble and complain and hope that someone will sympathize with us. After all, “Misery loves company!” But when we know that we are in the will of God, we can learn to accept our adversities along with the good things that touch our lives.
Life cannot be ‘fair weather’ and ‘smooth sailing’ all the time. Along with the sunshine there must be rain, or else there would be no spring flowers.
Some years ago, a song was written that has always been difficult for me to sing because of its message. It reads in part, “Whatever it takes, for my will to break; that’s what I am willing to. I’ll trade sunshine for rain, comfort for pain, that’s what I am willing to do.”
Can any of us same the same? Are we willing to suffer with Jesus Christ our Lord so that we may be glorified together with Him?
In this life we may know our ‘fair share’ of suffering, but it is not to be compared with the glory that we will share with Him when He comes again. (Romans 8:18 paraphrased.)
Jerry L. Dunn is pastor of Oak Street Baptist Church, Kingman.
