Good evening from Vietnam! I hope you enjoy the devotional tonight from my friend Frank Myer! Please keep praying for me!
Good Morning Friends,
I apologize for be sporadic with my Friday emails. I know I’m not having these out on a normal schedule, but we’re not living in normal times. To quote my friend, Ben Roth, “Doing the best I can with what I got.”
Let’s get started. First of all, I do realize the normal phrase is “Hang Ten.” It’s a surfing term meaning being so far on the front of the board all ten toes hang over the edge.
These aren’t normal times, so I’m going with five. Plus, ten would be too long of a read.
Context: When dad and I would visit during times of challenges – he would often give me a verse or two, or when a situation would drag on for a while, the advice would be simple—“Frank, hang in there.”
I can’t tell you how many times I heard the phrase. At times, to be candid, it didn’t seem all that helpful. I was searching for answers or advice that would help the situation I was facing. Hang in there seemed a tad bland.
Oddly enough, after many years – and more than one or two challenges – “Hang in there.” has proven to be quite useful. It’s a boiled down version of Winston Churchill’s, “Never, ever, ever give up.”
There’s more. I agree with the notion – Hang in there, but I want more. I want to know HOW to hang in there. As we all know from trial and error, certain strategies work better than others. For example, drinking yourself into a stupor has a low success rate. (To be clear – I’ve never tried this as a solution, but there were times in my life that taught me why people think this is a good option.)
Step 1 – Don’t pile on.
The challenge when you’re in the middle of a mess is one tends to add more to the mess. We tend to add to the amount of problems rather than focus what’s right in front of us.
Example: When I was going through the divorce, I was worried how the kids would react. I began to put the scope on my decisions as – How will this affect the kids? What if I do something that really makes matter worse than better?
A friend listened to me over lunch and said this: “Frank, the problems your kids will face won’t surface for another 10 years. By then it’s too late to do anything anyhow. Quit worrying.”
This is not to say don’t be concerned with others, but it important to not pile on to your troubles.
From the Sermon on the Mount: 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Step 2: Whatever mess you’re in won’t last forever. Read the story of Joseph in Genesis 40 and 41. This is where Joseph interprets the dreams. The kicker is it took the chief cupbearer 2 years to remember Joseph. I don’t know what you’re going through, but I would bet it’s safe to say your living conditions are better than an Egyptian prison in the times of the pharaohs.
Remember – you’re going to make it.
Step 3 – The other side is not nearly as bad as it seems – and I mean bad as in an overwhelming opponent. Think Bob Seeger’s “Bad to the Bone.” Ha. We can certainly remember David and Goliath – but we tend to think what we’re facing is bigger and meaner than ourselves.
I like Romans 8 –
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Granted, this takes a little work. You must have faith Paul knows what he’s talking about. You have to work to realize the challenges, as frightful as they are, can not defeat the love of God.
Just remember if we remain true – God stays faithful to us. That doesn’t mean He takes away the challenges, but we are loved by God – and that tends to help with perspective. That’s the rumor anyway.
Step 4 – Share your challenges.
There is a bit of the male mental math that thinks, “I have to do it myself.”
Ecclesiastes has something to say about this – as a coincidence it’s in chapter 4.
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Be willing and ready to call someone.
Proverbs 27 – a friend nearby is better than a brother
Now with so many ways to connect – there is no reason not to. That’s not correct. There are reasons, but they are false. They hurt you. Reach out.
Step 5 – This is not in the Bible – but if I was editor, it would be –
Turn off the TV. Quit watching the news. Stay off social media if all you do is read the fire-hose strength of news. You will feel overwhelmed. Politics is a sewar right now. If you’re struggling, you don’t need that trash. Turn it off.
Spend time in Prayer – and be honest with God. He already knows the mess you’re in – tell him.
Spend time reading the Bible – I bet you will find people just like you who struggle. Read the Psalms – see if any of that sounds familiar to you.
The key is to hang on.
I hope this helped.
Enjoy the ride,
Frank Myer
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
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