M. Scott Peck in ‘The Road Less Travelled’ begins with these three words – ‘Life is difficult.’
Malcolm Fraser, a past Prime Minister, made this saying famous – ‘ Life wasn’t meant to be easy.’ He was quoting from George Bernard Shaw’s play ‘Back to Methuselah’ in which he wrote –
‘Life wasn’t meant to be easy my child, but take courage: it can be delightful.’
Jesus says in John 16:33 – ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’
A quick glance at our own life, or that of a friend, or the marginalized and disenfranchised people groups will attest to the fact that life isn’t always trouble-free or even fair. But the good news according to Paul in Romans 8:28 is that‘in all things God works for the good of those who love him.’
In the past I used to plan and strategize how God should work things out for me but it never happened the way I wanted it. Even though I thought my schemes and scenarios were very clever, God knew what I needed at those times. I’ve come to realize there are many seasons in our journey. Sometimes we see God at work in and around us and sometimes we don’t see anything. ‘There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.’ Ecclesiastes 3:1
One way God can speak to us is through creation. You will notice that many fruit-bearing trees and plants do not produce fruit in winter, because the fruit is seasonal. This lack of fruit doesn’t mean the trees are unhealthy. So it is with our lives.
Let’s look at Psalm 1:1-3 ‘Blessed is the person who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But their delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law they meditate day and night. They shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever they do shall prosper’.
If you are suffering trials and troubles, I want to encourage you today that God is always doing something good in your life. Take heart, stay connected to Him and the fruit will come.