JOB 5:6–7; 14:1 – For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground, but man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble.
THEME OF THE DAY. LIVING REAL LIFE IN THE REAL WORLD. The Apostle Peter pens a statement which at first glance seems a little odd – “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). It’s a little odd because every Christian knows life consists of many fiery trials so why tell us “do not be surprised”? Because we do get surprised. We forget what living real life in the real world is truly about.
If we don’t think my last statement is true, how did we respond the last time some “surprise trial” or difficulty came into our lives? Caught us off guard, right? Made us sit back and cry out, maybe in shock, “Why is this happening to me?” As creatures of flesh, we want life to be easy, pain-free, no suffering, very comfortable, and with minimal problems. We crave such ease. We pursue such easy living, and we get a little irritated, even complain, when those “surprises” come into our lives causing turmoil, unrest, confusion and pain. Yet, if we are going to live life in a manner bringing honor and glory to the Lord, we need to daily remind ourselves of the words in today’s scriptures; life is short and full of trouble, not for a few of us, but all of us. Let’s break these down so we may not be caught by surprise when real life collides with our imagined and desired life.
First, life is short. Real short. Read the latter part of today’s scripture – Man who is born of woman is few of days. The Apostle James tells us, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). We get in all kinds of spiritual trouble when we forget the brevity of life and live as if this world is all there is. Such forgetfulness leads us to try and find contentment in a world that cannot deliver. It also leads us to seek satisfaction in human relationships that are temporal and neglect the One true relationship that truly satisfies us – our walk with the Lord Jesus. But something else happens when we forget the fleeting nature of life. We spend our time, energy, and resources on the things of this passing world instead of the eternal world. This produces remorse, regret, and steals away our joy in the Lord.
Another thing to remember about life is that it is full of trouble – Man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble. Sin has caused catastrophic damage in creation and human beings. As a result of sin entering into the world, peace left the world. There will be short seasons in life when we may experience lesser trials and trouble, but they are few and far between. Due to God’s curse upon creation, to include humanity, trouble will abound all the days of our lives. And should we forget this, we will find ourselves complaining about our circumstances and situations that are engulfed in trouble, pain, and suffering. Should we find ourselves becoming complaining Christians, we will soon be complaining and chastened Christians. God will not allow His children to complain about their suffering in a suffering world.
Life in this world, real life in this world, is hard, painful, short and full of trouble. Remembering these truths will help us live close to the Lord and experience His grace to not only endure real life but do so with a close walk with Him.
PRAYER: “Father, protect me from the deception to think life in this world is to be easy, comfortable, and problem-free.”
QUOTE: “The time of complete rest, freedom from sin, pain, and suffering is for another world, not this one.”