Life Is Too Hard!

Life Is Too Hard!

There came a day in Joe's life when he realized it just wasn't worth it
anymore. His struggles had become more than he could handle, both mentally
and physically.
First he lost his job, then he found out he was either over-qualified or
under-qualified for the few jobs that were available. The one business
willing
to hire him wouldn't pay enough to feed his family much less the mortgage
and other bills. Then his wife left taking their two children, moving across
the country. He became hopelessly depressed and suffered a heart attack.

Upon being released from the hospital, having no place or no one to turn to
he went to the woods to die. He decided to have one last talk with God.

"God," he said, "life is too hard, can you give me one good reason not to
quit right now?"

To his utter amazement God spoke to him. "Look around," God said. "Do you
see the fern bushes and the bamboo surrounding you here in the forest?"

Joe looked around and replied, "Yes."

God said, "When I created the fern and the bamboo I took great care of both
of them, yet only the fern came up quickly and covered the earth with its
beautiful
green leaves although I gave them both water and sunlight to grow. I did not
give up on the bamboo plant even after four years of care. Then the fifth
year a tiny sprout appeared which seemed insignificant to the growth the
fern had gained. Even then I did not give up on the bamboo because I knew
the
bamboo had spent five years growing roots and soon it grew to a height of
100 feet.

The fern didn't need large strong roots to bring forth its beauty to bring
me glory but the bamboo did and when it did come forth it brought me much
glory
also. If I had quit or given up on the bamboo it would not have glorified
me. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

Each and every thing I created was created for a purpose just like the
bamboo has a different purpose than the fern. Did I not create the lion and
the lamb?
I know and give each of my creations exactly what they need to fulfill their
purpose. I have never nor will I ever give up on anything I have created.

I know you have suffered much, but you have grown strong roots through your
suffering which you will need to bring me glory. Without the suffering you
have
experienced you would not have come to the end of yourself and you would not
have turned to Me.

I am the Master Potter; I made every heart that received the breath of life.
I know what it takes to turn every heart to Me; until that heart is mine it
cannot glorify Me and until every heart is mine I shall not give up on it.

Now that you have turned to Me your time will come and you will rise high!"

"How high should I rise?" Joe asked Him.

"How high will the bamboo rise?" God asked in return.

"As high as it can?" Joe questioned.

"Yes," God said, "give Me glory by rising as high as you can."

As Joe walked out of the forest he started to realize where he had gone
wrong in life. He had lived for himself instead of living his life for his
creator.
He had sought only glory for himself instead of for the sovereign God who
had created him.

God had never given up on him but had been preparing his heart so he would
learn how to live to glorify Him. He now knew God would never give up on him
and no matter how hard life became he could never quit for he was made to
glorify God and God was for him. He realized that God would never give up on
him or allow anything to happen to him that His grace would not be
sufficient to see him through.

Romans 8:31-39 KJV
31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us?
32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall
he not with him also freely give us all things?
33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth.
34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
intercession
for us.
35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved us.
38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate
us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Never regret a day in your life!
Good days give you happiness.
Bad days give you experiences.
Both are essential to life...KEEP GOING
Happiness keeps you sweet.
Trials keep you strong.
Sorrows keep you human.
Failures keep you humble.
Success keeps you glowing.
But only God keeps you going
He will never give up on you.
Never give up on Him!

How can we ever compare the sufferings we endure during our short time on
this earth against the eternity we will spend in heaven with our Lord and
Saviour?
Peter Egmond Koufie
East Legon, Accra - Ghana