As Life Gets Broken in Upon…

“Life gets continually broken in upon,…” said Charles Henry Parkhurst. “Nothing ought so little to surprise us as a surprise.” One of the realities is that life isn’t always even, freedom from problems cannot be counted on. All of us have some days that are better than others⎯some hopeful, some promising, some discouraging. All of us face disappointment, heartache, difficulties. There are many wise and comforting expressions of faith for such situations, but the meaning and comfort of these don’t always fully come through when we are down and depressed. And sometimes the best we can do id hold on, which, always, we must do. “Mankind is served,” said Dr. Fosdick, “by those who simply do not crack up when all expect them to.” It isn’t expected that we won’t become discouraged, that we won’t have problems. Part of life’s purpose is for solving problems, for overcoming, for conquering⎯but not for giving up, ever. There is a kind of magnificent heroism in the strength and example if manly men, and of faithful women, mothers, fathers, and others also⎯heroic in doing their day-to-day duty⎯working, meeting problems, making a home, living often above ill health and sometimes heartache, quietly standing up to the doing and enduring of each day. Just as surely as we find ourselves down and discouraged, we have reason to hold to hope, and, more than that, reason for doing what can be done. To those discouraged, to those in sorrow, to those who need help: Hold to the hope, to the faith that there will be a lifting of darkness and despair, that the light will come on again in our lives.