The T-shirt part 3
When you've been there, done that, and got the t-shirt... you know the way. You know what to do, and perhaps even more importantly, you know what NOT to do. You've made some mistakes along the way, sure, but as long as you've learned from them--as long as you don't keep repeating them--then you're fine. You're learning and growing. And with the experiential knowledge you are uniquely qualified to help others. Because the truth of the matter is, we all go through the same stuff. The names have been changed to protect the innocent... there are different degrees of what we go through... but the human experience is the human experience. What I think I'm trying to say is, "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure" (1 Corinthains 10:13 NLT). We all go through the same kinds of stuff. The King James Version says, "...such as is common to man..." And look at the promise here: God is faithful. He won't let you get crushed by temptations. Remember Jesus said that in this world we WILL face tribulations. But He also told us to be of good cheer because HE has overcome the world. And in HIS overcoming... WE have overcome. He has shown us the way to endure whatever we go through. The more excellent way. Love. I'm telling you, if we can stop looking at situations as "good" or "bad" and start seeing every situation as an opportunity to love... we can get off the roller coaster of emotional highs and lows. We can see that He brough the mountain low and the valley high. He made the crooked straight. Straight and narrow. The way that leads to LIFE. Abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life! He is the door and He stands at the door and knocks. The door is the heart. That's the way out. Love is the way! "How'd you get through that?" "I let the love inside me come out!" Love is the solution and the answer. You know the old saying, "I'm not afraid of drowning because my lifeguard walks on water." Sometimes it feels like stuff is piling up. Sometimes it feels like we can't do it alone. And, truthfully, we can't. But, thankfully, we AREN'T alone. Another promise God made was to never leave us nor forsake us. He moved into the neighborhood and He's never moving out. A preacher once said it like this, "When God moved into the neighborhood property value went way up!" Guys... we have everything we need. Everything we need to LIVE. To LOVE. Everything we need to face whatever it is we come across. And not only to face it, and be more than a conqueror (because JESUS already conquered), but to help OTHERS face it. We're not supposed to see through others. We're supposed to see others through. Bear one another's burdens. Help one another along. Don't look down on people unless you're bending down to help them back up! "I've been where you are. I know what to do. I can help." THAT'S the message!