Did anyone notice the moon last night? It was a silver sliver, sort of like a lop-sided smile, beautiful and serene. If the moon had human emotions, I wonder what it would feel as it gazes down on mankind? Would it be disbelief, horror, amazement, awe, perhaps apprehension? Or, depending on where and when it looks, some of all those feelings? Yet, it smiles, far above the fray while we humans struggle along right in the thick of things.
Yesterday our Sunday School lesson was from the Book of James. It was about temptation and our reaction to it. Saint James told us to be joyful when we are tempted because, in the end, it leads to patience. I wondered how I could be joyful about temptations, especially when the temptation got the better of me. Joyful, when I lost my temper? Yes. And, do you know why? Because next time I’m met with that same temptation, I’ll remember the embarrassment or feeling of failure from last time and, not wanting to go through that again, I’ll resist, stronger. Now, that’s encouraging.
As a writer, I am grateful for the delete button on my computer keyboard. I use it a lot. It’d be nice if there were a delete button for life at times. Delete that mistake, expunge that temptation, erase that error! But, in life, there’s no delete button. There’s just forgiveness and the possibility of growing stronger to meet the next temptation in a more Christ-like way. Whew!
I may never face my failures in life with the serenity of that lovely old satellite orbiting above us but that’s fine with me. Here’s where the “joyful” part comes in: I have faith in the Lord Jesus and He will see me through all the struggles. It’s already settled.
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