Have you ever said, “I’m on cloud nine?” If you have, it is likely that something
wonderful happened in your life at the exact moment you uttered these
words. Perhaps you heard the words,
“You’re hired!” or “It’s a Girl (or Boy)!” or “Will you marry me?” And you likely remember the date, time, and
location where this special event in your life took place. But, what about all of the days, months, and
years leading up to this exhilarating moment?
Undoubtedly, you experienced some highs and lows, and maybe even some disappointments
along the way. Still, you eventually arrived
at the moment where you reached the destination on your journey – cloud nine.
When I think about the journeys we take in life, I have
come to realize that there are many similarities between our day-to-day
experiences and those of many reality television show contestants. Their journey through various challenges is
not unlike our journey through life, with its many highs and lows. At times, contestants may make a mistake or
encounter an unexpected detour. Along
their journey, they make good decisions and bad ones. Yet, one team always prevails and finishes the
journey victorious, having made it to their “cloud nine” experience – being
proclaimed the winner of the competition.
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wisdom. Show all posts
Our lives bear a striking resemblance to these programs,
in that our lives are also a journey.
While we are not striving to win $1,000,000 or the title of sole Survivor, there are many daily
challenges that we must face. For
instance, in the business world, everyone wants to get ahead. Instead of clues, they attend “power lunches”
to try to get to the next rung on their way to the top of the ladder of
success. And a mistake may not cost them
their lead position in a competition, but it may cost them a promotion, their
job, or even their reputation. But in
the end, there will be those who make good decisions and find their way to the
“cloud nine” they are searching for, such as a promotion or increase in salary.
Personally, I find that the journey to cloud nine can be
quite difficult. Now, I am not talking
about the end of a race, or even recognition in the workplace. I am talking about this journey we call
life. And no, we’re not truly searching
for cloud nine. But, we are on a journey
to eternity. This journey is very
difficult at times. While we may have
joyous times to celebrate, there may be other times when sorrow fills our
hearts. We may hear the words “You’re
Fired” or “You’ve had a miscarriage” or “We’re getting a divorce” instead of
the words above. During these times, God
will bring you peace. He will remind you
of the cloud nine that you seek. And He
will help you move toward your goal, filling your heart with joy once more.
There are times when it would be easier to just
quit. Or it may be tempting to follow a
different path. God’s Word says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matthew 7:13 ESV).
It might seem easier to travel down the
wide road, at least for a little while. Inevitably,
though, you will find that this road leads to great disappointment. The decision to travel down this road leads to
a dead end – Hell. If you’re on this
road, I want to strongly encourage you to turn around. It’s not too late. Put your trust in Jesus Christ. Ask Him for directions to cloud nine. Follow His steps and don’t look back. You will be on a journey like no other, never
seen on television. God can do more than
you ever imagined, and I can assure you, His dreams for your life are truly
incomprehensible!
Every day, I continually strive to put one foot in front
of the other on my journey to cloud nine.
In my life, I have experienced many ups and downs. Some have been minor, such as the
disappointment of a missed visit with a friend, and some have been major, such
as the saddening loss of my mom. Still,
I know that God will be with me in every circumstance. He will give me strength when I am weary, joy
when I am sad, and hope when I feel hopeless.
The road I am traveling on may be straight and narrow, but God is
leading the charge. Won’t you join me on
this direct route to the ultimate “cloud nine” – Heaven? The journey to cloud nine may be challenging,
but just wait until you see the view from the top!
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer
While this was simply a team-building exercise in my Journalism class, I began to think of the parallel that often exists between this game and our communication with God. How many times have we prayed and asked God for something, but instead of listening closely to what He has to say, we may repeat what we think He said? Or perhaps we just make up an answer that is in accordance with our will, instead of His. Or maybe we do not listen at all, thinking that He has not answered our prayer.
While we may not always understand God’s will for our lives, or we may not comprehend His answer, He truly knows best. Sometimes, God will answer our prayers with a definite, “Yes.” Other times, He may answer our prayers by saying, “No.” And at times, He may simple say, “Not now.” Regardless of what answer we receive, we need to be content with His response. God is aware of our desires, our wants, and our needs. He knows where we are at in life. In Philippians 4:11 (ESV), Paul tells us, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” No matter what is going on around us, we can be happy. If we are in God’s will, we will be content.In John 18:37 (NIV), Jesus tells Pilate, “‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’” Notice that Jesus points out what Pilate says. Then, He goes on to tell Pilate that everyone who is truthful listens to him. In other words, Jesus is saying those who listen to Him are honest people. If we choose to ignore the things that Jesus tells us, then we are being dishonest. We need to listen to His words, in order to fully enjoy our relationship with the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
In the same way, a child needs to maintain a level of honesty with their parents, in order to experience effective communication. Imagine a young boy who is asked by his parents to clean his room. Instead of hearing this request, he “thinks” he is supposed to go to his room and play a “clean” video game. Certainly, the child heard the original request. However, his own desires cause him to purposefully lose some of the meaning, being left with a fragment of the request. All he chooses to remember is that it was something to do with his room. In the end, he does not perform the task that he is asked to do, ultimately making himself untrustworthy in the eyes of his parents.
When was the last time God asked you to do something? Perhaps He asked you to call a dear friend who was critically ill in the hospital, but you didn’t have time. While you may have been busy, God knew that calling your friend tomorrow would be too late. Or maybe God requested that you stay home and resist the urge to go shopping, but instead, you went to the store. God knew that you would have your purse stolen if you went shopping at that particular time of day. And you might have felt the urge to stop and pray for someone at work, but you felt out of place, asking to pray for them in public. God knew that your coworker needed to be reminded of the hope that only Jesus can give. Without this reminder, they could have been planning to take their own life that very evening. You see, God knows more than we do. He knows what we should choose to do, and He knows what we will choose. Additionally, He knows the consequences we will suffer if we do not choose wisely.God will not ask us to do more than we are capable of doing. Still, He knows the comings and goings of every single individual on earth. And He knows who His children should be with, what they should be doing, when they should do it, why they either will or will not do it, and where they should be. He loves you. He cares for you. And He does not want any harm to come to you. God wants what is best for all of His children. Don’t let the wisdom and guidance God has designed especially for you get lost in translation. Listen to His still, small voice today, and stand amazed at what God has planned for your life!
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer