By Erin Elizabeth Austin
“It’s a hard-knock life for us! It’s a hard-knock life for us! ‘Steada treated, we get tricked! ‘Steada kisses, we get kicked! It’s a hard-knock life! ….Don’t it feel like the wind is always howling? Don’t it seem like there’s never any light? Once a day, don’t you want to throw the towel in? It’s easier than putting up a fight!”
In case you don’t recognize these lyrics, it’s a song from the play/movie “Annie.” I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I feel like this song was written just for me. Let’s be honest. Life is hard. There are always problems in every area of your life – personal life, finances, family and friends, emotions. It’s a never-ending barrage of problems and sometimes, it’s exhausting emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Because of that, many times it feels like we’re waiting for the next crisis to arise.
In “Annie,” there’s a secondary character named Pepper who struggled with the same thing. She’d been dealt so many terrible blows to her young life that she lost hope things would ever improve. She was a negative, bitter little girl, and she couldn’t understand how Annie could continue to hold on to hope that tomorrow would be a better day.
I think if we’re honest, we all have times when we think like Pepper. Yes, I know Christians are always supposed to be filled with hope, but sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Life is hard. For many, it has been one problem after another. This has definitely been the case in my life. People always tell me how strong I am, but every once in a while, there are moments when all that I must face every day simply overwhelms me. But then I’m reminded of how far God has brought me and how much He’s done in my life and through my life. Life definitely isn’t easy, but my hope is in an all-powerful God who can do anything.
What we have to remember is that life is made up of a series of moments, both good and bad. But if we’re constantly waiting for the next bad moment, we will miss the joy that comes with all the good moments. The Bible says many times that God has a plan for our lives. In the past, I’ve been guilty of thinking of this promise as future tense, meaning He has a good plan for my tomorrows. Yet that’s not how God works. He has a plan for every moment of every day. He has a plan for this very moment of your life, but if you’re focused on what will happen or the pain of what’s already happened, you will be blinded to God’s good plan for today.
“It’s a hard-knock life for us! It’s a hard-knock life for us! ‘Steada treated, we get tricked! ‘Steada kisses, we get kicked! It’s a hard-knock life! ….Don’t it feel like the wind is always howling? Don’t it seem like there’s never any light? Once a day, don’t you want to throw the towel in? It’s easier than putting up a fight!”
In case you don’t recognize these lyrics, it’s a song from the play/movie “Annie.” I don’t know about you, but sometimes, I feel like this song was written just for me. Let’s be honest. Life is hard. There are always problems in every area of your life – personal life, finances, family and friends, emotions. It’s a never-ending barrage of problems and sometimes, it’s exhausting emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Because of that, many times it feels like we’re waiting for the next crisis to arise.
In “Annie,” there’s a secondary character named Pepper who struggled with the same thing. She’d been dealt so many terrible blows to her young life that she lost hope things would ever improve. She was a negative, bitter little girl, and she couldn’t understand how Annie could continue to hold on to hope that tomorrow would be a better day.
I think if we’re honest, we all have times when we think like Pepper. Yes, I know Christians are always supposed to be filled with hope, but sometimes, that’s easier said than done. Life is hard. For many, it has been one problem after another. This has definitely been the case in my life. People always tell me how strong I am, but every once in a while, there are moments when all that I must face every day simply overwhelms me. But then I’m reminded of how far God has brought me and how much He’s done in my life and through my life. Life definitely isn’t easy, but my hope is in an all-powerful God who can do anything.
What we have to remember is that life is made up of a series of moments, both good and bad. But if we’re constantly waiting for the next bad moment, we will miss the joy that comes with all the good moments. The Bible says many times that God has a plan for our lives. In the past, I’ve been guilty of thinking of this promise as future tense, meaning He has a good plan for my tomorrows. Yet that’s not how God works. He has a plan for every moment of every day. He has a plan for this very moment of your life, but if you’re focused on what will happen or the pain of what’s already happened, you will be blinded to God’s good plan for today.
We serve a big, powerful, mighty God who wants to work in our lives, but in order for that to happen we must take our eyes of our problems, fears, and doubts and turn them solely on to God. The only way we can see God do the impossible in our lives is if we stand on the truth and authority of His Word and refuse to listen to the doubts swirling around our heads. Our God is greater and stronger than any problem that comes our way. He IS for us!
Rather than keep waiting for something bad to happen, hope and wait for something wonderful. Be a noticer of the good! Ask God to open your eyes to help you see the good in your life. Today, choose to live every moment to the best of your ability, and sit back and watch God work!
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.” ~ Ephesians 1:17-19
© June 17, 2015
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.” ~ Ephesians 1:17-19
© June 17, 2015
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