PASTOR ’ S CORNER

Littlefield’s First United Methodist Church

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b Have you ever met people who just radiate joy and happiness? Perhaps when you met them you were shocked at how full of life they were, and wondered how in the world a person could be that happy. Many people might even think that those kind of people are the lucky ones in life who never have anything difficult happen to them. Maybe you have even thought that, when you met someone bubbling over with joy. There is something you must understand. No one gets through this life without some measure of heart ache! The truth is we live in a fallen world. A world in which no one escapes death and the pains that revolve around it.

So, if everyone experiences difficult times, why do some people seem to handle it better than others? Are they only faking it? I don’t think so! Instead, what I do believe is that those joy filled people have an understanding that I wish all of humanity had. What is it? You might say. Well, it is what is listed above in the scripture from Nehemiah: “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The amazing thing about God is that He cares enough about us that He has promised His people this: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” The promise is not that we won’t have hard times. As a matter of fact the truth is we are either going through a hard time now, just got through one, or one is right around the corner. BUT, the promise is that we do not have to go through these times alone! God doesn’t promise a life here without hurts and struggles, but He promises that He will be with us and provide us the strength to overcome those struggles. Because of that in our hearts rather than mourning we can have joy, because the joy of the knowledge of the presence of the Lord is our strength!

Mary Lu Grant was one of those joy-filled people here in Littlefield. Did she have hard times? Well, the loss of her sister to breast cancer when her sister was a young mother, the murder of her youngest daughter, and the sickness in her husband that placed him in a wheelchair and had her as the caregiver are some of her hard times. But her response was one of living life with a smile on her face and joy in her heart because she was convinced of the goodness of God!!

If you are struggling and feel as thought you have hope, might I suggest crying out to God? Read about Him in a bible, pray to Him even if you don’t think He exists. Soon you will find God coming to your side and helping you to see things from an eternal perspective, and if you allow Him to be Lord of your life, you will feel his power and His presence and soon your mourning will turn into joy and you can exclaim like others: “The joy of the Lord is My strength!”

(Editor’s Note: This column is written by a different Littlefield pastor for the Leader-News each week. The columns are published on this page on Wednesdays.)