PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

PESKY PROBLEMS IN PERFECT DISGUISE

Can I speak to all of the REAL DIAMONDS out there?  You’ve been through so much, having survived yet thrived in the crucible of off-the-chart pressure over extended time frames.  Life’s journey has taught you that there is purpose in the pressure and process.  Bottom-line: No pain, no gain.  Wouldn’t you agree?

 Keith Ready shares a story that positively affirms this fact.  Read and prayerfully ponder:

On a recent Saturday around midnight, my wife and I were about to fall asleep when we heard people talking outside our home.  Out of the blue came two loud thuds above our bedroom window, followed by the sound of laughter and people running away down our street.

We jumped out of bed, turned on the external lights and rushed outside, unsure of what had caused the two thuds and what damage we might see.  Dripping noises on the driveway and the flood light above our garage helped us to immediately identify what had happened.  Our home was the victim of an egg bombing!

The prospect of cleaning up this sticky mess was no pleasing thought, on top of which I was quite angry that we had been singled out for this annoying prank.  I decided that it was too late to clean up the mess because it might disturb our neighbors, so it could wait until morning.

Early next morning, armed with a bucket of warm soapy water, a scrubbing brush and an extension ladder, I was ready to wash off the dried-out egg grit above our bedroom window.

My task was made even more challenging by the two large canvas awnings that protect our bedroom windows from the heat and glare of the sun.  My annoyance with those late-night pranksters was slowly building to the level of the night before.

After retracting the awnings, something we rarely do except when there are very high winds, I climbed the ladder to clean the first patch of egg stains.  Then I moved the ladder to clean the second patch.  As I climbed the second time, I noticed that the glass in a window just under the roof line was badly cracked.  Since the awning protected the window, it was clear that the damage had not been caused by the egg bombing.  As I carefully placed my hand on the glass, I discovered that the pane of glass was quite loose.  Had the window been opened or closed with any force, it would likely have shattered; and all that glass would have dropped to the driveway, seven meters below.

Underneath that window, we have a basketball court, and most days there are five or six children playing in that immediate area, including our two sons.  My thoughts immediately turned to what could have happened if the broken glass in the window had gone undetected and suddenly shattered.  Their was a high likelihood that our kids or their friends could have been seriously injured.

After washing the remaining egg stains off the front wall, I got some heavy-duty masking tape and secured the cracked window as best I could.  Within 24 hours the cracked window was replaced and all was back to normal. 

Over the next few days, I realized that if our home not been bombarded by those eggs late Saturday night, I might never have discovered the broken window pane before it shattered and came down on the basketball court.  Even though it had been an annoyance, the broken eggs and stains were cleaned up quite quickly.  However, the damage that could have been caused by glass shattering over our children’s heads could have been much more severe.

Frequently in life, the small things that happen to us have a temporary negative impact, causing some pain, sadness, discomfort, or aggravation.  It is often said that we should not ‘sweat the small stuff’ and we should always look for the positive outcome, i.e. ‘the silver lining’ in the dark clouds of current circumstances.  Admittedly, this is not always easy to do in troublesome moments.

My personal experience with the egg bombing reminds me that there is always a flip side to everything.  And often the flip side provides a positive outcome or benefit; if not now, then at some point in the future.

We heartily agree with you, Mr. Ready.  Thanks for sharing your story.  Although our personal circumstances may differ, there is always AN ELEMENT OF DIVINE FAVOR present in every problem.  Indeed, our pesky problems are perfect disguises for miraculous revelations of the LOVE, GRACE, MERCY AND POWER OF GOD.  What does the Word say about this?

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) 

Since you are one of the REAL DIAMONDS in this world, you already know.  Amen? 

Sisters and brothers, be continually blessed, and please (above all else) MAKE SURE YOU ARE READY TO MEET OUR SOON COMING KING.  Maranatha!