Everything happens for a reason...
There are times in our life when we go through struggles and hardships that we do not fully understand. It is important that in these times of difficulty we remain faithful and strong in the Lord and know that He has a purpose behind that situation. It is easy to get down and depressed when burdens pile up, but remember God's Word is true and He is faithful to bring you forth stronger and victorious in the end. (Ephesians 6:10-13) (Hebrews 10:23) This is a good story that shows how God has a purpose in everything that He asks us to do. God will never lay something upon your heart without a great purpose behind it. I hope this message encourages your heart to continually trust the Lord and know that He has great plans for your life even though you might not see it right now. (Jeremiah 29:11) THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS Brenda was a young woman who was invited to go rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens. Here she is, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her! Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping the lens had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her find her lens. When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that reads, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.” She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.” Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom, there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?” That would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on its back. Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist and when she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, “Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for you.” I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, “God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will.” God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Author Unknown People that suffered great hardships in their life learn from that experience over time and are then able to help someone else that is going through a similar situation. We might have never known what compassion really was if we first hadn't suffered with a loss of a loved one, a failed relationship or just any real problem that caused tremendous heartbreak. In our sufferings, we learn and grow, and are then able to understand and have compassion towards someone else going through a similar situation. I encourage you to take your strides in life with a purpose and know that God has great plans for your life. Never think that you are here on this earth for no reason. God does not make or create anything without first having a purpose and a plan in mind. If you are going through hard times, be encouraged and know that sooner or later you are going to come forth victorious and well-able to understand and be helping towards someone else having difficult times in their life. I assure you that in the latter end, the difficult times of life will bring great spiritual maturity as well as Strengthen your Faith and dependence on the Lord. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) ----------------------------------------------------- This mail is generated from http://www.jesusyouth.org To subscribe to this mailing list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----------------------------------------------------
