Such a Life

Such a Life

Such a life I have lived, seemingly different than most, somewhat set apart for reasons I know not, maybe just for my testimony. Recently I have found myself in a great struggle I'm pretty sure is not mine alone. There was an actor in a scene in a movie stepped off a train in a certain suit with a certain hat, carrying a certain suitcase, declaring himself to be unique. One second later the doors of the train opened and hundreds of people dressed in the same certain suit and hat with the same certain suitcase flowed out onto the platform. The first man was instantly lost in the crowd being unrecognizable.

I don't know how others navigate the inevitable. Maybe they just don't give it much thought until one day they turn around and ask "What happened?? Where did the time go?" Maybe they are all unique. Philippians 3:13 says "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead". This requires a constant effort for me. Not that I would want to go back and live life all over again, there are too many painful moments I don't want to re-live. I would rather be able to experience all I can while I'm here. James 4:14 says "you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

We all hold on to the memories of the big events in our lives. Times with other children in elementary school, teenage years of adventures and some craziness, falling in love, traveling, marriage, children, and so forth. For a lot of veterans their most relived moments are those years serving our country. "Once a Marine, always a Marine." Yes they hold onto that experience but for many, they struggle a lot with it also.

We all have had the extremely painful moments in life and the struggle for all of us is real and not to be discounted, its part of living in a fallen world. I try to remember, appreciate and learn from the past but not dwell there though that too is a struggle. I as others who lived in the same timeline in history have had many, many times of fun and adventures. The "serenity" prayer really sums it up for us if we can fully grasp it. "Lord may I change the things I can, not worry about the things I cannot change and the wisdom to know the difference between."

The Lord never said that life would be easy. He did say that he would be with us. His very name Emmanuel means "God with us." Jesus also said about these times in our lives that "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." Now I have to refer back to the serenity prayer for just as the great "What would Jesus do?" movement is still as applicable today as it was when it was popular, the serenity prayer goes right along with it.

To sum all this up, I am grateful for the life the Lord has given me so far. I did not come to know the Lord until Christmas Eve 1996. I have all those years beforehand as a testimony of the fact that it's never too late to say "Lord I could use a little help here" and watch what he will do. When I get discouraged, I look back at what the Lord has done for me since that Christmas Eve and that makes me say to myself, "If he has done these great things for me, why should I think that he wouldn't continue to hold me tight as I continue to navigate this life?" Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord and do not lean to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. You can also add the verses 7-10 for great yet simple advice on how to live "Such a Life".

Merry Christmas,

Bill Craver

12/19/2023