Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The Sting of Life


Oh, the sting. I was out yesterday enjoying the gorgeous weather with low humidity and picture perfect skies. Hiking along a pretty trail enjoying some lovely views of the Shenandoah Valley. Suddenly some kind of stinging insect (bee or otherwise) flew right into my face, got lodged behind my glasses and bit me beside the eye. Instant pain radiating to my head and neck. Thus endeth the hike, a few miles short of my goal. I went out to the road, and a park ranger happened to be there at the overlook and took me  back to my car. Today I still have swelling and pain in my face to remind me of a very unwelcome intrusion in what was to be a nice day.

The sting of life, and maybe when we are enjoying some beauty or some wonderful blessing. It seems everything is zapped. The blessing is gone or it appears, and you wonder what to do.

I believe it's these times that faith is really tested. Not on the nice days. But when things are throw at you when you don't expect it, be it the big or the tiny with stinger (like a bee). What are you going to do? This is where the scripture comes to play - the testing of faith produces patience. An eternal weight of glory. No matter what is coming our way or what it could entail. To stand on God's faithfulness to see us through  it. Not let it get to us but let our faith get it.
So to the bee, yeah, you put a crimp in my hike. But I'll be back for more days in God's creation.

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