The Good Old Days
Many of us prefer the security of our past over facing the uncertainty of our future. But living in the past only saps our energy and makes it difficult to face the demands of today.
In the classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character, Christian, tumbles into the miry bog, the “slough of despond,” and struggles to get free. But the heavy burden on his back pulls him in deeper, and he begins to sink.
This image pictures what it feels like when we’re sinking in difficult circumstances—when our debts outweigh our income, when past hurts won’t heal, when discontentment marks our relationships, and when the light of heaven seems distant and dim. Discouragement, despondency, pain, suffering—these miry pits along life’s journey can pull us down into our own “slough of despond.”
Christian’s rescue came by the hand of a fellow traveller named Help...and the same is true for you today. Use these resources to find encouragement for your own life...or to minister help to those you find along life’s journey.
Many of us prefer the security of our past over facing the uncertainty of our future. But living in the past only saps our energy and makes it difficult to face the demands of today.
Whether you’re completing a university degree, harvesting potatoes, or planting a church, anything worth doing takes dedication and a lot of hard work.
Being unknown doesn’t mean a person is unimportant. Without the behind-the-scenes support people, very little would get done. If you’re in the background, never doubt the significant impact you make with your loyalty, commitment, and support.
Death is inevitable, but even death can’t threaten God’s ultimate protection over our lives. We can trust God to protect us from now till the dawning of eternity.
The church is a place like no other. You’ll rarely find such a supportive community elsewhere in life. When you hurt there are people who will stay with you and suffer with you.
We meet all sorts of people on our path. Some we meet only briefly, and yet God uses seemingly insignificant events to shape us. The people we meet on our path leave us forever changed, and we do the same for them.
If someone went over your life with a fine-tooth comb, what would he find? As Chuck says, the rewards of a life well-lived never end. They continue from generation to generation.
We don’t hear the words, “I love you” enough. And we certainly don’t say it often enough. If you can think of someone who needs to hear this from you, don’t wait.
We all need encouragement. Many people are worn down by worry and anxiety and those who seem like they have it all together are often the ones who need encouragement the most.
We live in a time where Christian values are blurred and weakened. But God’s Word is truth and it’s unchanging. When we choose to ignore it we become lost, confused, and without hope.