Across the Bridge
  • Mission
  • Blog
  • DONATE
  • NEWS
  • Ministry Plans
  • Partners
  • Current Meetings
  • About
  • Mission
  • Blog
  • DONATE
  • NEWS
  • Ministry Plans
  • Partners
  • Current Meetings
  • About

ATB blog

When Things Get Ugly

5/11/2016

0 Comments

 
Life has a way of not making sense some times. I remember reading the book Why Bad Things Happen To Good People"written by a Jewish rabbi whose son was suffering from a rapid aging disease. His conclusion, things just get ugly sometimes and happen to the just and the unjust, but in all cases our faith must pull us through. Listen to these words of Jesus:

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.
                                                                                         John 16:33

There are days where it seems nothing turns out right, and we wonder if we have done the right or wrong thing. There are days we have prayed and prayed, but it all went against us, and there are prolonged times when we wonder if God is even listening. The easy answer is that's life. And life on this planet is neither easy or promised to be safe. 

The words above show that there will be trouble, and those words don't mean that God will always save us from it in the middle of what we are going through. When things get ugly, God wants us to turn to him for peace, calm in the middle of the storm, and to build our faith with him in the trenches of real life with its ups and downs. He is not there to prevent life, but to get us through it and to the right place in the end.

Through Him we can overcome anything but there are things such as death, consequences, divorce, life changing diseases (such as the rabbi's son who eventually passed away), and other things that happen that just happen. To think that God will bail us out of each situation, or correct everything is a hopeful dream not a real faith. Real faith is that somehow, despite any tragedy, it's all going to work for the good of those of us who serve Him.

Hard words to swallow, but truth. Truth is when it gets ugly, it  may get uglier for awhile before God provides us with a way out or a healing. To understand that is what faith is all about, that through Him we can overcome anything. I know this first hand. Life punches you in the gut and takes your breath away momentarily. But just as quickly God breathes his grace and mercy into us so that we live to fight another day!

And when we get through the ugliness, the hurt and the pain, we become stronger to fight the battles of life ahead, led by the only one who has ever overcome the world!
​
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Glenn Yankowski

    Glenn is an ex-Marine Viet Nam vet who is also a recovering alcoholic, clean and sober for 30 years. He has been involved in start up and ongoing recovery ministry at North Atlanta Church and Campus for the last two decades. He has a passion for outreach and to spread the message that the answer to lasting and fulfilling recovery from addiction is in a relationship with Jesus Christ. He and the ATB team are available to assist in your questions or needs on an individual basis and will do so maintaining complete confidentiality. You may e-mail him at sgtski@bellsouth.net.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly