Life is not a 'bowl of cherries' - far from it. Sometimes it's the pits, but not the cherry itself. Life has a 'flavor' all it's own, just like the cherry, and it's not always sweet. Sometimes we expect too much out of life and it doesn't always deliver to us what we expected or what we truly wanted. Things don't always go as planned or they aren't always as they have seemed. You might have a 'crushed cherry' instead of the sweet, firm 'fruit of life' that you expected to have.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me , all [ye] that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 

Life is not a 'bouquet of roses'. It sometimes has it's own bed of thorns! Thorns don't set too well with our tender flesh! They prickle our skin, and if the spot isn't cleaned thoroughly, it might begin to 'fester'. That's the same thing that happens with things in our every day life. If we let a situation in our life put us in the 'pits', digging at us with it's 'thorns', then we will begin to sink deeper and deeper into the mire. It will bring us down so fast, leaving us depressed, down on life, and a down and out Christian! We will be of no affect on the lives around us or even in our own lives.

I Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
I Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

Life can be glorious, if you follow after the Lord and are obedient to him. It has its ups and downs, but he asks that we cast our cares upon him and let him shoulder our burdens. He is there in time of need, only a call away. But sometimes we fail to make our voices heard, to utter that simple prayer that GOD is waiting to hear from us. He wants only our willingness to turn to him - he already knows what we need.

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life : in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore. 

Heavenly Father, I just want to thank you for being there in our time of need, giving us your SON as our intercessor. We can't control life itself, but we know the ONE who can, and we give thanks to you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Copyright 2004 by Barbara Sanders, Empire, AL. Used by permission.
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