You may have heard the idiom "Life is not a bowl of cherries, sometimes it's the pits."
As Christians we believe that sin has power -- a deadly power -- that comes from evil; but we also believe that faith has power -- a life-giving power that comes from God.
In our lives we experience a struggle between these two powers, and even when we are on the side of life, even when we have faith in the God of life, we experience temptation, we feel desires and live through events that test our faith and seek to lure us away from God and have us serve evil instead.
We are tempted to give in to despair -- the despair that nothing we can do will make a difference, the despair that says that there is no help or hope for us or for our world. Indeed I believe that this is the greatest temptation of our age.
Some people -- most people perhaps -- dwell too much on the negative side of things. Like the game show Jeopardy -- all their answers to life's problems are expressed in the form of questions. They see the problems that exist all round us -- but do not lay hold of the solutions, of the good news that also exists all round us, of the salvation that is offered to us all -- without condition or qualification.
Visualize, if you will a great pit -- a pit perhaps of your own devising -- or perhaps one devised for you by others. Visualize a pit into which you have fallen and cannot get out.
A self-pitying person said: "You haven't seen anything until you've seen my pit."
A realist said: "That's a pit."
An idealist said: "The world shouldn't have pits."
An optimist said: "Things could be worse."
A pessimist said: "Things will get worse."
A pit is an awful place to be -- particularly the pit created by the power of sin and temptation. But there is One who will help. There is One who has managed to avoid the pit and who seeks to help us out of the pit. His name is Jesus -- and He lives and reigns with God to bring to each of us a new life.
Do not dwell in the pit.
Do not accept the pit.
Rather reach out your hand to the One who has stretched out his hands for you -- and who still reaches out for you today. Reach out to Christ -- and through Christ -- reach out to others around you and let them know that there is a better life to be had -- a life that is given freely to all who desire it.
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Editor's note: The Rev. Dr. Scott Stewart is the pastor of Pea Ridge United Methodist Church and Brightwater Methodist Church. The opinions expressed are those of the writer. He can be contacted at [email protected] or 479-659-9519.
Religion on 01/22/2020