Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday March 24, 2010

Do you ever get tired; I mean just plain sick and tired of living? When I was teenager, the year I hitched a ride from Elkton to California, a popular song had lyrics, "Oh Lord I'm tired of living this old way." Most of my friends from way back then are long gone. Many died tragic deaths.

Being tired of living seems to be on the verge of becoming the national pass time. I hope we can turn the tide.

Marie (Madam) Curie, an old girl who learned a lot from the town dump that has benefited all of us living today after having endured much ridicule and privation wrote:

"Life is not easy. But, what of that? We must have perseverance."

The will to persevere is missing in American life and even more tragic is the small number of Christians who are able to endure hardness, to persevere while maintaining inner joy. An enduring sourpuss is better than a quitter, but an enduring person with the joy of the Lord Jesus is as rare as the Hope Diamond.

I personally find suffering, perseverance and joy in the lives of many people in the scriptures and thus I find myself reading more and more. The Great Blonde thinks that due to age I am cramming for the finals. Not so, I have no idea when I will pass over the great divide, but I kind of look forward to that day. What I struggle with is to keep in the fore of my mind the will and the how to so live now that I possess and communicate joy to others while I persevere. It's not as easy as some warm fuzzy songs would have you think.

The early church knew that life is not easy. And they encouraged one another on how to continue faithful. Notice James' words to those believers who were "scattered abroad" meaning dispersed, uprooted from hearth and home and who suffered persecution, sickness, torture, hunger, imprisonment ad infinitum. These are the "temptations" or trials James meant. James 1:2:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;"

Count trouble Joy? These early Christians were onto something we are missing.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2010 Use with credit

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