Alright

“Some say, life is hard, like swimming upstream and going against the grain. But I say, life ain’t that hard; ‘Cause I’ve seen how the Joy outweighs the pain.  So you can sit and whine about the times that you’ve been having.  Oh but as for me I choose to be, as happy as I can be. Because I’m alright; Trouble may find me but it’s not going to keep me down.  ‘Cause I’ll hold on tight, to the Father who loves me, He likes having me around.  Yeah He loves me and He cares for me and so I’ll be Alright.”

For those of you that know me well know that I love music.  I love listening to powerful songs and striving to understand the meanings of those lyrics.  Of course God uses His Word to speak to me, and I am thankful that he also uses songs to speak to me and inspire me.  As I listened to the lyrics of this song “Alright” written by FFH, I was overwhelmed with peace and joy that this song speaks of; knowing that there is a Father who loves me and He LIKES having me around.  I put emphasis on the word “Like” because we all have someon in our lives that we Love, but don’t like! It’s awesome to know that the Father LIKES having us around. 

The bridge of the songs says “But I’m learning that this world keeps turning, with or without me.  So I’ll do my best and leave the rest to the one watching over me.” We all have and feel stress in our lives, however, I can tell you with great certainty that if we do our best to leave the rest to the one watching over us, we’re going to be “Alright.” 

There are some in our realm of influence that are facing personal trails and hardships. It seems like every day someone is asking for prayer for a trail that they are going through.  If you receive emails from a prayer ministry you’ll see that people are facing trails in their finances, work, kids, family, aging parents, health, loneliness, death, depression, divorce, and the list goes on and on.  It feels like God is pouring his wrath out on us, punishing us. Of course, that is not God’s character.  However, sometimes I have to ask myself, is worth the pain?  Does the joy really outweigh the pain? 

If we are not careful, when the trials of life begin to multiply in our lives, we might come to the same conclusion that the preacher came to in Ecclesiastes 1:2&3, when he said “Meaningless! Meaningless” Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”  We might just come to the place where we think that all of life, especially the rewards of living for the Lord, is just a waste of time. 

Allow me to remind you of something.  There are NO accidents with the Lord! 

I once heard of a cowboy who applied for a life insurance policy.  The agent asked, “Have you ever had any accidents?”  The cowboy thought about it for a second and said “Nope, but I did have a bronco kick in me and broke two of my ribs last summer and a couple of years ago, a rattlesnake bit me on the ankle.”  “Wouldn’t you call those accidents” the puzzled agent asked.  “Naw,” said the cowboy.  “They were mad and did it on purpose.”

Again, there are NO accidents with the Lord.  It is not meaningless. Our work, our ministry, our lives are for a purpose.  That is to bring people to a saving, loving and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

There are many verses in the Word that deals with trails.

1 Peter 4: 12-14 says: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trials you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.”

In James 1:2 it says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

James 1:12 says “Blessed is the man who preservers under trail, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Personally, my challenge is not to let my trials get to me.  My challenge is to “consider it pure joy.”  If I were being honest, there is nothing joyful about it! Who in their right mind will say “bring it on” or say “I want some more, I want some more, I want some more!”  I don’t know about you, but I’m always surprised when trials come my way.  I don’t like them. Actually, I hate them.  I feel like that I’ve been through enough already.  There was a time that I said “Really God, I feel that I’ve been through so much over the past three years of my life and it’s time for me to be in my “Blessing Phase.””  Then God asked me a question:  How do you know that you are not already in your blessing phase? Do you not think you can be blessed during a trial?

The human side of me would rather stay in my comfort zone; for everything to stay happy go lucky.  But as Christians, that is not possible.  As a matter of fact, reading the verses previously quoted, I would be worried if a trail didn’t come my way every so often.  I would be worried because I wouldn’t have the privilege of having His glory revealed to me.  I would not receive his Blessings.  My testimony would be worthless. 

Gary Watts is a devoted man, a devoted Deacon and of course a devoted Christian.  He has given to this church; he has given to his family and to his friends over the years.  He has been such an inspiration.  Of course, he’s such a character, always making people laugh.  He is in the construction industry and has had a tremendous drop in work and therefore, income.  Then, to make matters worse, his back went out on him.  For weeks he hasn’t been able to work at all which has put an enormous amount of financial pressure on he and his wife.  When I talk with Gary, I can see the concern in his eyes.  I can see his desire to get back to work.  He wants nothing more than to pick up a hammer and start working on something.  However, this is not God’s plan in this phase of his life. I’m sure that although Gary knows this, he still questions why; and although Gary may question why, he still has an enormous amount of faith.  He still LOVES our Lord and he knows that his service to God is not meaningless.  I have heard him more than once say “it’s ok, I know who holds the future.” Gary knows that God will reveal his Glory to him, in His time, and in His way.  Gary’s testimony will not be worthless.

So, I ask again.  Does the joy really outweigh the pain?

J. W. Bramhall says, "Sorrow can lead us into one of four lands:

·         the barren land in which we try to escape from it;

·         the broken land in which we sink under it;

·         the bitter land in which we resent it;

·         the better land in which we bear it and become a blessing to others." 

So, don’t waste your trail by wallowing in self-pity. Go to the better land in which we bear it and become a blessing to others.  Don’t be surprised that we are going through the things that we are going through.  Rejoice and pray and wait in great anticipation for God to reveal His Glory to you.  Remind yourselves that you are blessed to carry the name of Jesus because the Spirit of glory and God rest on you.  You should praise God and consider it pure joy because, don’t miss this; perseverance is coming!   I know that is because His word tells us and I believe it. 

I want to end by quoting yet another great praise chorus: “When I think about the Lord, how He saved me, how He raised me, how He filled me, with the Holy Ghost, how He healed me, to the uttermost. When I think about the Lord, How He picked me up and turned me around, how He placed my feet on solid ground. It makes me want to SHOUT, Hallelujah, Thank you Jesus, Lord, You’re worthy, of all the glory, and all the honor, and all the praise.”

Not only should it “make me want to shout Hallelujah” it also wants me to get myself out of the way and end my pity party.  Makes me want to crawl up in the lap of my Father and ALLOW Him to wrap his loving arms around me, and tell me that everything is going to be “Alright.”