In Life

Life and Death

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.  We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.  We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

1. The year 2009 was the worst year of my life.  In the first few days of January, my grandma’s funeral happened.  This was followed by the death of my almost 13-year-old dog.  Then came my husband’s granddad, who meant the world to me, followed by the freak death of my 2.5 year-old cat and then the suicide of my husband to round it all out.  I was crushed in every way.  My spirit, mind and body all paid the price.  I was beyond perplexed.  I couldn’t make sense of much of anything in life.  There was just blow after blow.  I can’t even hear the year mentioned without cringing.  I was definitely pressed on every side by troubles, but I wasn’t crushed.
2. We become perplexed by what people do all the time.  Unfortunately, for so many of them, there is no way we will ever understand the reasoning behind their actions.  But we can learn from their actions to be different or we are given the opportunity to come alongside someone who’s life has been changed by these actions.  Going into a despair, hating life and the world only allows evil to flourish.
3. During 2009, I felt like I had a target on my back.  How much more could happen?  Unfortunately, a lot.  However, I knew I wasn’t alone.  Not only did the boys and I have great family members helping and surrounding us, but we also had a church family who lifted us up, prayed for us and provided meals for a time.  However, when none of them were around, I knew God was with me.  God has and will never abandon us.  I could feel His presence at the loneliest and hardest times.  I still do.
4. There will always be times in life when we’re knocked down, but it is completely our choice whether we allow them to destroy us.  As long as we’re living in this world, nothing short of death can destroy us unless we allow it to do so.
5. Life and death are all around us.  I was taking a walk today and took the picture above.  I found it amazing that both life and death intertwined to make the landscape so pretty.  The yellow flowers (sorry, I’m not a botanist so I can’t name the flowers) have recently bloomed but the daisies have mostly lost their petals at the end of their season.  One without the other would not be as appealing or captivating.  That is how it is in life as well. We appreciate life more because we know it ends and it is fleeting.  Part of the reason we appreciate the people and experiences we have is because we know they all eventually come to an end.  We may be able to see the people and do the experiences again, but there is a chance we will not.  That makes the time we have more precious.   Take in each moment, both the good and the bad and pour into those around you.  Life is worth it.

~ Joanna Lynn

This post was written based on The Daily Post‘s prompt of “perplexed”