For Those In Need of Hope…
An Article by my Lovely and Talented Wife:
Never Give Up:
The Battle Is Not Yours…
There are times when we feel as if nothing we attempt will ever succeed.
We write books we feel God calls us to write…but they don’t sell.
We vote for people we feel God has endorsed…but they don’t win.
We pray for things we need desperately in our lives…but our prayers are not answered.
At this point, it would be very easy to surrender. Nothing works, why bother?
Don’t.
One of my favorite series has the very annoying quality that the main character gets beaten up in every arc before he gets back on his feet, endures much, and finally wins. It is so frustrating! The struggle goes on for so long! Why can’t he win already! I shout at the screen, gritting my teeth with frustration!
But recently, I rewatched the whole thing and discovered—I wasn’t frustrated the second time around. He still got beaten up. He still had to fight and fight and fight and fight to win. But the second time, I felt calm and enjoyed the ride.
Why?
Because the first time, it was my false expectations that frustrated me.
I thought I knew how long the suffering should go on before the victory. But, you know, the real story was much better, the victory much more dramatic, than it would have been if the story had followed my expectation.
Real life can be like that, too.
