Suffer Hardship

For at least three days now, I've been trying to upload videos to the blog....

.....without success!!!

Just when I thought it was going to work, ALL my PREVIOUS videos on the blog were not working either.

Ugh.

So I don't know what's going on with Blogger. I went online and tried to see if their formats changed, or if I had to install some sort of new program. Everybody had questions, others had answers, nothing seemed to work.

So I got fed up from trying and re-trying and trying some more and I just deleted the whole honkin' post!

I had some really funny videos to share, and maybe there was just a glitch in the system that maybe now has worked out; but I don't have the patience to try again today. It appears that my previous posts with videos are currently working.

This morning I took the time to read a small devotion out of a book I received as a wedding gift. The book is called A Threefold Cord and has 365 devotions in it, one for every day of the year.

Today's (November 16th) is about suffering hardship.

Now, I am certainly not saying that because I couldn't post some videos to my blog that I consider it a "hardship". Not at all. It was certainly trying my patience, but was not a hardship. I think in the last few years I've most definitely experienced some hardships that cannot BEGIN to compare with difficulty in posting a video!

But this devotion really spoke to me today.... kind of like God's way of saying to me, "I know you don't see the purpose in your current struggles, but I've got a plan.... a plan that involves suffering some hardships.... so don't worry about your struggles.... I've got it all looked after, and I promise you will benefit from them."

Isn't it just like God to keep me calm? He's just that kind of God. Must be frustrating for Him to deal with stubborn ol' whiney folks like me!!! I mean, really! Who doesn't want to have a nice comfy life? Who doesn't want everything to just flow along at a nice even pace? Who doesn't want everything to be rosey.

None of us want the storms and the rain and the thunder in our lives.....

We want the sunshine with the birds chirping and the gentle breeze with the flowers in the garden blooming full with colour...... ALL the time!

But God has other ideas. And in the book of James it tells us that we can expect trials and tribulations. Expect it! It's comin'! Unless of course you're experiencing it right now! And then when it's over, there's likely another trial just around the corner.

Well, chin up. It's in The Plan! God knows you're going through it. And some very experienced writers have some thoughts about it to encourage you. Here's today's devotional.

A Threefold Cord

November 16th

Page 327

"Suffer hardship with the gospel according to the power of God." (2 Timothy 1:8)

Having a hard time of it is not to be counted among the sore burdens of life. Having an easy time of it is much more to be dreaded. Nerve and unfailing pluck [courage] get temper and firmness out of hard times --- not out of hammock swinging. Only out of stress and strain comes the clear grit which tells. God pity the man or woman who has never had a hard time of it.

* * * * *

Dr. A. B. Simpson never sought nor expected an easy life. "What," he said, "would we think of Jesus if we ever found Him looking for His own pleasure and consulting His own comfort?"

* * * * *

The only crown a faithful soul will ever get from the world, or from a carnal church, will be a crown of thorns. Rev. G. Grubb

* * * * *

The way seems rough over brier and root,

And the road is so long;

But the Feet that were tired with going afoot

Help mine to be strong.

The Hand that He reaches out to me

Has a scar in the palm;

'Tis a heart that was broken on Calvary

Teaches mine to be calm.