The Game of Life    

Our vision is so limited we can hardly imagine a love that does not show itself in protection from suffering.... The love of God did not protect His own Son.... He will not necessarily protect us - not from anything it takes to make us like His Son. A lot of hammering and chiseling and purifying by fire will have to go into the process.  Elisabeth Elliot

When I was young we used to play the Game of Life.  You would spin the wheel and move forward with your token and land on a square on the board.  Sometimes the square would say you lose a turn, or another one would say you decided to go to college so you had to pay money instead of earning more.  Still other times you would get married and lose a little more money.  Then you would land on the square where you had twins and you had to pay up.  There were also times when you landed a great job and received a raise so the bank paid you.  The thing is this game never dealt with the real challenges of life.  These are the heartbreaking events that can bring you to your knees. 

In the real game of life we have to deal with illness, death and sorrow beyond our comprehension.  I guess that would be a pretty depressing game for kids to play if you landed on a square and it said you are diagnosed with cancer.  Your bills will be astronomical and you will be paying them for the next 10 years.  The thing is, it is not beyond God’s comprehension.  He understands because he didn’t protect His own Son from suffering.

In life we are engaged in battle.  Every day we are challenged to be better and some of the challenges we face are not even close to being easy.  The life we live is a training ground. Everything we face each day is a test to see how we will react.  It is also a refining process. Each trial is meant to purify us and make us more like Jesus.  We can fight it every step of the way or we can face it head on with God leading the way.  If your daily challenges are getting you down, let the Father lift you up.  He wants to end your suffering but sometimes we must go through the fire in order to be purified.  In other words, to be made more like Him.    

Prayer for the Day: Heavenly Father, many times my ego takes over and I think, God why are you allowing me to suffer.  Why not?  Jesus Christ suffered more than I can even imagine so why not me.  Thank you for your great mercy on my life.  I have not even suffered a fraction of what Jesus Christ suffered.  Please remind me that the trials I face in this life are meant as a training ground.  If I continue to keep my eyes on You, any suffering I face can be used for my good. 

Scripture:  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.   Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.  And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.  2 Corinthians 1:3-7