It's Always Something

            Last Friday I spent a few hours in the ER to learn that instead of a blood clot in my leg I had cellulitis. When a friend found out, she said: “It’s always something!”

            She’s right. It’s always something. Job said that in a different way thousands of years ago: “Man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.” (Job 5:7, NIV). Sometimes I think I accidentally get in line when troubles are handed out, yet I seem to be in good company.

            When I was young, I thought grown-ups didn’t have problems. They didn’t have teachers to tell them what to do. They went to bed whenever they wanted to. Nobody told them what to do. Adults had jobs, so they didn’t have money problems, right?  What a distorted perspective I had on adulthood!

            My journey through junior high and high school opened my eyes a little more to the flies that found ways to nosedive into the ointment of my life. Perhaps it was me with all my adolescent insecurities or light dawning on the reality of life, but it seemed I couldn’t go anywhere or do anything that didn’t leave some kind of sour taste afterwards. Why did my life have to be that way? Surely everyone else’s couldn’t be.

            The only way I knew how to attack my problem was to ask God for some favors. “God,” I’d pray, “please don’t let there be any ‘regrettables’ (about whatever I’d be doing).” That meant anything from stupid things I said or did to the sting of someone else’s words or deeds. The outcome? Sometimes life was good and void of painful memories.

            Now, as I look back on those observations and prayers, I’m amused. I didn’t understand much at all about life, especially the Christian life. Obviously, I was looking for a smooth ride. Although I may not have been as blatant about it later in life, I think I’ve always been looking for an easy road—I’m looking for Heaven on earth. Whenever I arrive at that conclusion, I realize I’m on the wrong road.

            Heaven is not here, nor is it now. It is always something here because I’m in training. I’m practicing, implementing. I can’t grow deeply rooted in faith without learning, applying, testing, failing, reviewing, and retesting.  So that’s how it’s going to be. It’s always going to be something while I’m here as I get ready for There so that when I get There I will look back not at “regrettables” but rather will affirm with the Apostle Paul: “Godliness with contentment is great gain.” (I Timothy 6:6, NIV)