Back to Blogging-Day 3!

Today is Day 3: A Post with a title you were proud of.  Again, special thanks to the sponsors of this event:  Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances.

I'll just be honest.  I'm not a creative person, and don't think I could find a cute, catchy title in the whole existence of my blog.  But anyway, here's my post for today! :)

Originally posted October 2009:  Chasing Balls

My daughter has this wonderfully fun toy called a Busy Ball Popper.  You simply hit the button and silly (loud) songs play while the plastic balls fly out of the top, roll down the shoot, come back around and fly out of the top again.  My daughter absolutely loves it.  She watches the balls go around and come back out again, dances to the music, and loves it when she is able to start it herself.

The problem is, sometimes the balls pop out of the top a little too hard and go flying across the room.  I try to sit with her and catch them, or keep them contained with my hand, but it always seems that no matter what I do, I inevitably end up chasing balls.  They pop out and fly all over the living room, and I have to go pick them up, put them back in the toy, only to begin the process all over as soon as that little red button gets pressed...again.

Do you ever feel like life is like that?  Like no matter how hard you try to keep a handle on things, stuff just goes flying?  Like life is never quite calm and under control?  Like all your efforts to serve, obey and rely on God are fruitless, and despite your best efforts, you just end up in a vicious cycle of chasing balls?

I know I do.  I get frustrated when life doesn't go my way.  Or when God doesn't answer a prayer on my terms, in my time.  Or when I feel like I'm trying so hard to follow Christ and live the life that God wants for me, yet continue to get knocked down.  Discouraged.  Mocked.

But I continue to press on.  Because I know who I serve and to whom I belong.  And I know that in the end, that is all that matters.  That when I stand before God one day, He will be proud of the work that I did for His glory and His kingdom, and while it was certainly not perfect, He will know that I served, loved, and lived for Him with all my heart. 

Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."  There are many things in this life that can cause us to lose heart: tough circumstances, losses in this world, the ungratefulness of some.  But Paul tells us we must never lose heart or grow weary, but at all times, in all seasons, continue to do good.  We have to carry on, never ceasing to do the work that God calls us to do.   "For in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."  The important thing to remember is that in due time means in God's time, not mine.  God promises that we will see the fruits of our labor, but it may not necessarily be on this side of heaven.  So all we can do is persevere, be patient, and continue to do good.  Press on in what God has for us and never stop thanking Him for each and every blessing.