Life - Good and Hard
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“When life is good, enjoy it. But when life is hard, remember: God gives good times and hard times, and no one knows what tomorrow will bring.” Ecclesiastes 7:14
I asked, “How’s life?” She responded, “Today it is pretty good. Yesterday, not so good.” Another person when asked the same question stated, “I’m good, really.” Despite all she shared that was happening in her life around her, she was good. As I talked with another lady, she told me that life has always been hard, but she has survived. Her faith in God was strong, but she was now asking the “why?” question. She had survived cancer, but now it came back for the second time. “Why?”
Good is a relative term. Each person has a standard to measure good. When I checked the dictionary for the definition of good, I discovered about a hundred synonyms for good. Some made me smile – “hunky-dory.” Some were based on slang – “wicked.” Some were country origin – “up to scratch.” Good is a quality or level of measure. How do you measure good? Is it when everything is going the way you want it? Is it when all your family and friends are all right and healthy and happy?
Then there is the measure of hard when related to life. It means life is difficult with problems that seem overwhelming, frustrating, and unpleasant to bear. Hard life is also based on one’s perspective in relation to the experience of others. We tend to compare our circumstances to others and make a qualitative assessment of who has the harder life and who has had it easier, or everything seems to go their way.
Life is good. Life is hard. No denying this about life. Our perspective and foundation influence these descriptions. We may say, “God is good.” We say this when things turn out well and our prayers are answered the way we asked. God is with us in the good and in the hard days. Nothing changes God’s presence; it is just we question the hard times wondering why God allows it.
So, when life is good, do you really enjoy it to the fullest? It may be good days or just good moments as you define it. Are you fully present and taking in the good and giving thanks for the blessings of the good life? Or are you filled with anxiety and worry about how long will the good last and when will something bad happen? If this is you, then you are never completely enjoying the blessings of life God is providing for you. God is always in your life even when God does not take away the problem or bring healing. God wants you to enjoy His gift of the present moment.
When life is hard, and God seems so far away. God is still present, but the difficulties of life cloud our view and our feelings are focused on the pain and hurt. We go through battles, struggles, and hard times. This is a natural part of life in a broken world. It is the way we handle these times that builds our dependency on God. It is not a punishment though it is difficult to see beyond the struggle. God is still listening. God still loves you. You are not alone. It is remembering God’s faithfulness in the past and His faithfulness to others who are part of your faith foundation.
I, too, can create my own hard times by my choices and my anxiety and worry about what could happen. Life is tough enough without creating in your head all the possibilities of what could go wrong. I start to question if I am making the right decision. Is this what God wants me to do? I am learning that God gives us freedom in choices. Some of our choices make the path more difficult so we learn some tough lessons that strengthen us and give us wisdom in future decision making.
Life is good. Look for the good and rejoice in it. Glorify God in the good. Life is hard. Embrace the hard. Take it one moment at a time. Know that you are never alone in it. Lean into Jesus. Take Jesus’ hand and say, “Walk with me through this next moment.” Break down the hard in moments. You cannot carry the load by yourself. Ask for help and support. Rely on God in the good and in the hard.
Life is meant to be lived in the now not the tomorrows. Live in the good and the hard times. God never changes and is with you in both of them.
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