Truth: Life is Not Handed to You on a Platter
Tonight I heard a 29 year old successful writer and communicator complaining about not being able to buy a house or to have free medical insurance. Therefore, the young woman said that she is a Socialist.
Here is what the United States Declaration of Independence states: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Please note that the Declaration of Independence does not guarantee anyone a house or free health insurance.
I then asked AI if the Bible guarantees a Christian an easy life: Here was the answer: “No — the Bible does not guarantee that a Christian will have an easy life; instead, it promises strength, guidance, and hope to face trials, with the assurance that Christ has overcome the world.”
I tell you, that AI is sharp! And, having read through the entire Bible many times I concur. God does not guarantee a believer in Jesus Christ an easy life.
Now, we did buy a very old two-story house that needed a lot of work when we were 25 years old. But it was not handed to us on a platter! At the time I was working for an oilfield inspection service as a “worm” (That’s someone that doesn’t know anything.) 80 to 100 hours a week. Often, we would work all night so we could drive to another location and work all night again. We would also often stay in motels a week or two weeks at time away from home.
I did have a college degree when we bought our first home as I had had a dream of becoming an attorney, but it seems you have to have really good grades, great references, and it is good to have a degree from a good school. I did score substantially above average on the LSAT, but it was not enough to be admitted. So, on my way to working in the oilfield I had been laid off from three jobs in a year working as an assistant to a company CEO for American Truck Driving Academy, but I was laid off from there and the company soon closed down with the oil embargo. I then worked as a salesman for two auto parts companies and was laid off from both of those.
Being unable to find a job for about three months and failing to be able to be admitted to law school, I took a job working for my father-in-law. My father-in-law was the manager of a farm COOP which included a cotton gin. It was, you could say, hard labor as we tore out old equipment and installed new equipment during the summer. Then I worked there through the ginning season operating the cotton press.
The oilfield was beginning to boom at that time in the Anadarko Basin, but it took some time to find a job. That, my friends, is how I ended up with a college degree working as a “worm.” But my education has always been helpful to me, and they began training me to be a unit operator of the inspection equipment. With that training I was able to go to work for a new oilfield inspection company for more money and receiving more training. That was how we were able to buy another house when we were 26 years old, a three-bed brick single car garage 1140 square foot recently built house.
I became a believer in Jesus Christ, born again, only a couple of months after we were married. At the time I was convinced that life was so bright I was going to have to wear shades. But I soon learned that there were some occasional clouds. I came to understand that as with the apostle Paul as he says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” But that only occurred if I stayed in contact with Him through daily prayer and often falling to my knees and pleading for His help.
I can testify to the fact that God has always come through for me, and He will do the same for you if you put your absolute faith in Him.