Dealing

The Psalmist said, "Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest (Ps. 55:6)."

Wishful thinking, but the fact is you don't have wings so you have to deal. I realize David was speaking poetically about his troubles. People were mistreating him, pressure was heavy on him, and life was uncomfortable. I've been there and you have as well, but if wishes were fishes we'd eat for life. God did not make us to flee or fly but to stand and deal.

Too often we find ourselves fantasizing about fleeing. "I should just quit," "I ought to leave" or "I'm moving my membership." Sometimes we even hope God would step in and stop consequences, cease suffering or make things better. I understand the sentiment, but the relevant and evident truth is God wants us to deal with things.

Look at the statements of our faith and see the endurance element.

- Running the race with patience (Heb.12:1).

- Wrestling against powers (Eph. 6:10-12).

- The fiery trial of faith (I Pet. 1:7).

- Bearing one another's burdens (Gal.6:2).

- The perfecting work of patience (James 1:4).

Don't fly away like a bird, deal with it. Bear up. Go through it. Suffer it to be so. Persevere. Endure. Overcome. Take your shots. In the end, you will be better having gone through than if you ran like a coward. We should all focus more on what we are going to more than what we are going through.

By the way David, if you did have wings, where would you fly to? Trouble will find you wherever you go. In the desert you'd run out of water. In the mountains you'd get cold at night. Best to stay in Jerusalem where God put you and deal with it.

Hope up.