Thursday, May 03, 2007

Face of Adversity

I heard it once said somewhere in London every so often, you can stand on a box above British soil, and rant and rave and let it all out. Otherwise known as Free Speech. Whether that is still allowed or practiced I am not sure.

Lately the "Face of Adversity" has seemingly been gaining ground and yet through it all we continue to see the faithfulness of God. All of us at some point in life will face adversity. Be it work, family, self; someone else perhaps - adversity in some shape or form will be your friend.

So, my little soap box, rant and rave for today is that I dislike adversity. I wish it on no human being. Wouldn't it be easier to plain sale through life without difficulties? Trying to understand why adversity comes is futile. The only reason I can summize it happens is; personal inner growth.

Talking about the "face of adversity" - I was touched by the American Idol season channeling support and much needed help into adverse situations in Africa and back home here in the States. To see the emotional side of Simon Cowell culminate in carrying a terminally ill woman to Hospital (...she passed away two days later from AIDS) does show that if we take focus off our own lives and look to someone who has perhaps a greater need than us, we will note that our face of adversity is not as bad as we like to tell ourselves. I think what is remarkable that through this level of entertainment and global challenge to help suffering people - American Idol 2007 has raised over $70 Million Dollars for aid in a matter of less than 14 days.

Something I keep wondering is; what if there is more to life? Is money going to fix it all the time? Surely not! What if there was a greater help that could be offered. Something that isn't materialistic in its' form. Say, something that has eternal value. Fact is we are all going to pass one day. So, if I am staring into the face of adversity but have inner peace surely that would be the greatest of help? I think coming to the table as entertainers and helping out of personal abundance in many respects is easy. But giving something of eternal value to someone who has a material need, surely outweighs the temporary level of physical suffering. So to me the eternal value can be summed up in offering God's salvation through Christ's death on the cross to generations of people who might be glaring into the face of adversity. Food for thought...

I am working on a post to catch up on the weeks that I have missed, but sitting here at work today, I suddenly realized that I skipped the entire month of April.

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