Coping with adversity – two
approaches
READ:
Proverbs
16: 20-22
“don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with
what you have.
Since God assured us, ‘I’ll never let you down, never
walk off and leave you.’ ” Hebrews 13:5
(Msg.)
The above picture accompanied an article
describing the degree of joy that the woman felt in once again having shelter
from the elements. She and her family
rebuilt the one room dwelling after Hurricane Emily destroyed their original
structure. The humble nature of her
dwelling is quite evident; it has neither electricity nor running water and
consists mainly of a sleeping area and yet she expressed joy in her newly rebuilt
abode.
Another article in the same issue of the
newspaper related the incidents of several persons who committed suicide as the
result of losing “everything” in Hurricane Katrina.
Reflecting on these two situations, I was
puzzled as to why the individuals in
It would probably be spiritually uplifting to
claim that the Mexican family’s religious faith carried them through the
disaster whereas faith of the suicide victims of Hurricane Katrina was
lacking. However, this assumption would
be false. Senora Aldana made no mention
of strong religious beliefs. Rather, she seems to accept belief that her
present state is only temporary and the future might be better. Whereas, those who committed suicide probably
believed that their state was hopeless and were unable to see a future at all!
What do these different reactions in regard to
“losing everything” have to say to us as believers? Does our everything consist only of our
material possessions? What do we have
left when everything is gone? Is the joy
Senora Aldana claims a false emotion or did she consider her material
possessions replaceable objects which although, maybe important, were not the
total essence of her being?
Recently, an associate gave me a business card
with the inscription, “ Lord, help me
to remember that nothing will happen to me today that You and I can’t
handle.” These words reminded me of the
words in the 145th Psalm:
“The
Lord is fair in everything He does and full of kindness.
He
is close to all who call upon Him sincerely.
He fulfills
the desires of those who reverence and trust Him; He hears
their cries for help and rescues them.”
Psalm 145:17-19 (Liv.)
The pace of modern life may cause to forget
these words. However, to savor the words
of this psalmist is to know that joy comes from within and is not dependent of
our external circumstances or possessions.
To recall “He hears their cries and rescues them” is to learn that joy
is not about what we have managed to accumulate but about how we live in
relation with God and trust in His grace.
Amen.