An Anglican Compendium of Thoughts and Prayers: Life's A Struggle

Not so long ago, when computers were not half as smart as they are today, a group of experts developed a computer program to translate texts from one language to another. After extensive work, they were sure they had it right, so they typed in the very first text ever to be translated by a computer. It was a familiar text from scripture: ‘The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’

Without a moment's hesitation, the computer printed out the translation, which read as follows: ‘The liquor's still good, but the meat's gone bad.’

Life is a struggle, from beginning to end, and few things ever come easy. At the beginning of life we strain hard to stand upright without anybody holding onto us. At the end of life we're back to the very same task. And in between, the struggles are laid end to end: raising kids, making a marriage, finding our life's work, taking care of those who need us, becoming faithful friends, finding the money to do what needs to be done.

A lot of struggling is done right out there in plain view. But the real struggle is always inside us: the struggle with fear which is always there whispering in our ear, ‘Don't get in too deep; you might lose or get hurt. Save your strength for later.’

At every fork in the road, fear tells us not to invest: in this moment, or in this person, or in whatever is at hand because there's no guarantee we'll win, no guarantee that our kids will be good, that our spouse will be faithful, or that our good work will bear fruit. ‘No guarantee,’ says that evil little voice inside, ‘so, stand pat; sit on your hands. Better safe than sorry.’

Jesus responds to that lying little voice with a warning: ‘Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’

God has given every one of us some very clear life assignments. They're spelled out in our gifts and in the circumstances of our lives. Will we accept God's assignments and do the important work He's given us? Will we succeed in building our piece of His Kingdom? Only if we invest everything we've got — for the long term. But by ourselves that's impossible, because our fears are just too great.

However, we do have an alternative, and that is to look straight into our Lord's eyes — there on the cross — and ask ourselves if He can be trusted. The answer is so obvious. The cross says it all. So, trust Him! Invest your whole heart in every moment. And remember that, in the end, the only absolutely safe and sure investment in all the world is working as His full time partner. You can count on it!

Try me, O God, and search the ground of my heart: prove me and examine my thoughts. Look well if there be any wickedness in me, any root of bitterness yet undiscovered; and lead me in the way everlasting life. And lead me to serve the glory of Your name. For it is in You that our life springs eternal. Amen