Back to the Trenches

This morning started with a few more wrinkles than normal...and then...

...we went to visit a woman whose husband recently left her. It was too painful to see her slumped on the floor, overcome by sobs...

...later we visited a woman who had surgery two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful, and she may need to undergo a second surgery...

This is real life. We are always on the edge. Days do not go as planned. We are often in response mode.

This morning as I encountered one glitch after another, the words of 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 came to mind:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
perplexed, but not in despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed.
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body."

This is a major theme in my life these days: How do I respond when life doesn't go as planned? Is the life of Jesus revealed in my body? Tough questions and a good reminder.