“Don’t envy sinners, but always continue to fear the Lord. For surely you have a future ahead of you, your hope will not be disappointed” (Proverbs 23:17-18 NLT).
We’ve all done it. We’ve grumbled about it, mumbled unkind things in reference to it and stood back scratching our heads in wonder. Good things happen to the worst of people, and well, we don’t understand it.
We’ve all sat in a waiting room. Waiting, impatiently at times, for news on a believing loved one. A biopsy result, a test finding or a surgeon’s report. We’ve judged the answer we received against the one of the family on the other side of the room—and well, to the best of our estimation, we got the bad end of the deal.
We’ve been sidelined at work, in our families or in life in general. Our dreams broken. Our goals yet to be met. And we’re called to applaud the promotion of the guy down the hallway. To work under the unbeliever in the office.
We’ve received what to us looks like a great role in the play of life, only to find our we’re the understudy to a less than desirable, foul-mouthed, never-darken-the-door-of-a-church star.
We’ve all been handed a 2nd place ribbon at some time or another.
We’ve all been announced as runner-up.
We’ve all thought about throwing in the towel on this Christianity-thing. After all, what’s it doing for us? Where’s it gotten us? Is anyone, anyone at all, noticing how we’ve put heart and soul into living in godliness? All our best efforts are getting us nowhere.
Don’t. Don’t throw in the towel. Don’t give up on walking the straight path. Don’t envy the lives of those living without Christ, no matter what they seem to have going for them.
Our bright future is not necessarily going to occur here. All they have now, may in fact, be all they’ll ever get.
Your hope, your commitment, your determination and your work for Christ will not disappoint.
Malinda Edgell
Illinois
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray for Lee Ann Wilfong as she leads Missouri Women Active for Christ.
