Life Is Hard, Sometimes Our Choices Make It Harder

A young man from the city visited a girl on her family's ranch. Even though he had never been on a ranch, he didn't want to come across like a city-slicker. They walked into the barn where a blacksmith was making horseshoes. After watching a few minutes he reached over and picked a new one up from the pile and immediately dropped it. “Too hot for ya?” the blacksmith asked with a smile. “Not at all,” he said, “it just doesn't take me long to look at a horseshoe.” At times, life is hard for all of us. Everyone faces problems relating to health, relationships or finances. On top of that, we sometimes make it worse by making poor choices, often in response to hardships. What do you do when life is hard? We all do something. To help you answer this, let me ask you two questions.

Two Questions about Hardships

1. “What will make you happy today?” Perhaps you think it would be a spouse to share your life. Maybe it’s to have children. Perhaps it’s a job or a better job. Maybe it’s money or to be out of debt. It may be to be healthy. Perhaps it would be to restore a broken relationship.
2. “Where do you turn for help?” It may be a prospective employer. Perhaps it’s Dad or Mom to help you out until you get on your feet. It could be you’re trusting the insurance company will pay your claim. It may be an attorney arguing your case for you. Or you may believe you will get yourself out of your mess.

There’s a potential problem with all these answers. If we set our hopes on any of these things they can become idols, that is, something we look to instead of God. Exodus 20:3 At this point you might be saying, “I trust in God for all these things.” If so, that’s wonderful. If not, examine your heart.

Turn to God for happiness and help, not because you're supposed to, but because that’s the cry of your heart.

What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you need help? What do you think about when you don’t have joy in your heart? If anything or anyone other than God comes to mind first as the solution to your problems it may be an idol in your life. Happiness and help don’t come from stuff or even dear friends and family. They can’t help us. They can’t make us happy. We make it harder on ourselves when we trust in things other than God. At one point in His ministry many people stopped following Jesus. He asked His disciples if they wanted to leave, too. Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69 Life is hard. You and I need help. Make the Lord your first choice for help. He’s worthy of your trust.