Synopsis: Scripture is quite clear: troubles are an unpleasant but essential part of the journey toward Christian maturity. Solomon said, “If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place.” James said, “Consider it pure joy when you face various trials.” Hebrews said, “Others have suffered far worse than you… So don’t feel sorry for yourselves.” Tough but necessary words. The 17th-century French bishop Francois Fenelon offered this helpful perspective: “God is your Father, do you think he would ever hurt you? He just cuts you off from those things you love in the wrong way. You cry like a baby when God removes something or someone from your life, but you would cry a lot more if you saw the eternal damages your wrong attachments cause you.” That being true, I guess it’s time to buck up!
Moments With God // Proverbs 24:10
If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (The Message)
I read this morning in my daily quiet time how the apostle, beaten for preaching and teaching in the name of Jesus, rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” (Acts 5:41) Now that is some tough, gritty faith. And we see that kind of thing repeated throughout scripture, reminding us that tough faith requires tough times.
When I was a little kid, I would usually run to my mom rather than my dad when I got hurt, frustrated, or felt picked on by my older siblings. Why? Because my mom would usually hug me, dry my tears, and baby me in all sorts of ways. My dad, on the other hand, would typically say, “buck up, bud,” or “walk it off, kid! Rub some dirt in it! Get over it!” or “dry it up, little man or I’ll give you something really to cry about!”
It’s not that my dad was uncaring; he just didn’t want me to be soft. He wanted to toughen me up for the day when I would really have something to cry about. Looking back, I am grateful for the balance that a tender mom and a tough dad brought into my life—but I am especially thankful for the grit my dad ground into me. It has served me well on the sometimes tough, unfriendly, and demanding path I have trod in my adult life.
But to be honest, there are times even now that I fall back into my whiny-kid mode. That happened recently when I complained to the Lord about some disappointments I thought were unfair for him to allow into my life. I suggested that if he didn’t start doing his job better, it might be time for me to scoop up my marbles and head home. And with typical timing, the Lord sent a reminder that, in essence, repeated the same fatherly admonition I heard so many times growing up: “Buck up, bud, this ain’t nutin!” This time it came in the form of an email from the East African coordinator of our church-planting ministry. My African friend shared the testimony of one of our church planters who just had a contract taken out on his life. Yea, that’s right, a guy with a gun was trying to kill him simply because he had come to a village to preach the Gospel—and our guy was rejoicing how the Lord was using him!
Wow—I guess my troubles are puny compared to that!
Hebrews 4:12 says, “In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don’t feel sorry for yourselves.” (The Message) What is the writer saying? If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
So I am going to shelve the complaints until I shed the first drop of blood for the cause of Christ. And if you hear me whining between now and then, you have my permission to say, “Buck up, bud, or I’ll give you something to cry about.”
Now, what about you? Maybe it’s time for you to toughen up a bit, too!
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.