Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Outbreak (04/07/11)
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TITLE: Pass It On... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Emily Carlson
04/14/11 -
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You think you might break. You have five finals in three days, two projects still due, and a term paper yet untouched. Well, everyone is in the library these days, so you know you’re not the only one, but you’re mom also has cancer, and the tests haven’t come back yet to show how bad. Your dad is fraying at the edges with worry and your sister doesn’t even seem to care. You’re also six states and two time zones away. Everyone is busy, but no one knows this piece about you. It’s silently overwhelming.
You think you’re alone. You’re in a cell, not certain when you can go home.
You think you’re not enough. You’ve been looking for over a year and the next job offer should have been three interviews ago. It’s crushing your soul a little.
You think you’re running out. It’s getting hard to make ends meet day to day, let alone paying the college loans and the credit card bills each month. It’s tough.
You think no one cares. You’re alone and no one has come to visit for a long time. No one has sent a card, written a letter or e-mail, or even called. It’s devastatingly lonely.
There are no easy answers.
Why are there so many problems in life? Well, it's not a perfect world. Humanity sinned against God, and that brought about all sorts of consequences. Thankfully, Jesus died for our wrongs, and through Christ we are forgiven and reunited with God. Yes, you say, I know this, but it doesn’t seem real. My problems seem so immediate. I've been praying and I’ve been waiting on God, but He doesn’t seem to be meeting my needs.
I've been there too. The waiting part is hard.
In his Word, the Bible, God says that His mercies are new every morning (Lam. 3:22-23); that He is our refuge and strength (Psalms 46:1); that He calls us friends (John 15:15); that He calls us to do great things (John 14:12); that He supplies all our needs (Phil 4:19); and that He cares for us (Matt 10:29-31).
These living promises are as true today as they were when they were originally written or spoken. God reached out to our ancestors, and he is reaching out to us now. Every moment is a time for a fresh start or a renewed conversation (if you two haven’t talked in a while). Let Him work in you. Let Him take the things that concern you so that so he can carry the burden of your worries. Sounds great, you say, but easier said then done. Yes, this part is tough. But just do it piece by piece, as He leads you, and you’ll find that He is faithful to His promises.
One more thing…look around you…just for a moment, stop and look at the people near you or think about the people you know. Try not to judge them in any way. Just think about what they might be going through, what they are doing, what they are feeling. Some may feel similar to you for various reasons. And God wants them to know about his promises too. I encourage you to take some time to show them. It can be a small gesture. Your actions do speak louder than your words, and that is good, because sometimes there are no words for what you are going through.
So, to recap…you’re having a bad morning, or week, year, or decade. But God Loves You. He loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son for you. You’re a treasure and your life is of uttermost value to Him. Don’t take my word for it, take His. There’s an Outbreak of God’s Love and it’s spreading…pass it on.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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