If it rains cats and dogs would you get a rabies shot

When it rains it pours.  Sometimes in life we feel we can’t get ahead,  we weathered a storm only to find out were in the eye of the hurricane. Life can get hard, and still get worse after that.

There were some athletes I followed who went through some nasty injuries.  One of which tore his ACL his freshman year in high school.  He fully recovered by the next football season and we ready to go. A week into the season, he tore his other ACL, he was down.  He fully recovered from it and was ready for the next season.  In order to play football, he wore two super knee braces.  While playing running back, he ran through the gap, his knee braces hit each other causing him to fall.  He was tackled without being tackled. He decided to stop playing football after that.

Sometimes in life, we weather a storm and things can get worse as in Paul’s case.  Paul got everyone saved from the storm. Next they were shipwrecked on an island (People from the island came to help them out) he was out helping them collect brushwood for a fire when a venomous snake bit him.  The native islanders thought this dude had ticked off God.  This is the next part of the story in some of Acts 28:4-6…

“The man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live. But Paul shook the snake off in the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.”

They thought Paul was bad and that is why he deserved to be punished twice.

They stayed away from this man, but it was not was it seemed.  Going off the Princess Bride, “I do not think that situation  means what you think it means.” Paul survived the situation, but how many times do you feel like that?

You make it through a bad situation only to get hit with another one.  A couple of weeks ago I came to an intersection where there was an accident, the lady had kids in her vehicle and was pretty angry/frustrated.  The kids were fine, but she was almost in tears saying, “My dad is going to kill me.” It ends up she just bought this vehicle and on the way home was in a crash with a couple of thousands in damages even though everything was ok.

Bad things can happen in life, but will you let those bad things consume you? Paul survived a nasty shipwreck and then he got bit by a venomous snake (I don’t recommend testing God on this one). He didn’t start saying “Why me God, why me?” He wasn’t depressed from this reason or think things were going to get worse. 

Have faith that life will improve and can improve.  Paul was able to make through some awful situations because of his faith in God and you can too.  Even through the worst of times God can offers us comfort.  Don’t give up on life because it won’t give up on you.  Things can and will get better.

Have a great day.

Bad deals

Sometimes we get a bad deal.

 

When Hailee and I moved to Terre Haute we decided to give a cable or dish provider a second chance. We were burned once and hoped this time it would be better. Part of the contract we signed said the deal included local channels, they said it would not be a problem.  After 4 months, multiple calls and letter, we found out, this wasn’t the case, they lied.

 

It was disappointing as they went against what they said they would give us.  Eventually we couldn’t settle with them and paid the $180 to cancel our services with them, even though they were the ones that didn’t follow through with the contract. Sometimes we are thrown a bad deal.

 

Disappointed but learning from that situation we switched to a different company. Sometimes we get into a bad deal, luckily I have not been in a bad deal like what Paul had to deal with. Paul was basically put in jail even though being completely innocent. On top of that and multiple trials, he ended up in a court with Felix. Felix thought he was innocent but was waiting for a bribe from Paul in order to release him.  Paul wouldn’t bribe him.

 

As a result he was a prisoner for over two years. Would things get better? Acts 24:27…

“When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison.”

 

He was innocent, defended his case and Felix had a chance to release him before being succeeded. Instead he was left in jail for a favor. That sucks. I couldn’t imagine how Paul handled this news.

How would you handle it?

 

Sometimes life isn’t fair.  You can feel like all the cards are against you.  Hang in there.

 

Even with all Paul was going through, he never did give up. Don’t give up.  Sometimes there is a bad deal, and we have to make the best of the situation.  Hopefully that situation isn’t as bad as Paul’s but there is a chance for improvement.

 

Even in the toughest of times Jesus is there for us.  He is a healer and an awesome provider (Thank you Chris Tomlin for the reminder).  You don’t have to rely on your own power to fix all the problems.  Trust in God, that is what Paul did.  You can too.  Even through the worst of deals, we get another chance.

 

Have a great day.