Job 14:1 – “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”  KJV

That is a mouthful Job, but incredibly true!  I don’t recall where I heard it but heard about a little boy leading his sister up a steep mountain path which was very difficult.  She complained and complained saying, “This isn’t a real path it’s all bumpy and rocky.”  He said, “Sure Sis, but the bumps are what you climb on.”  Great attitude!

Reflecting on Job’s statement and the many Bible references to difficulty in life would lead one to ask, “What do you do with the bumps on the path of life?”  How do you handle difficulty?  When I read some of the accounts in the Bible of the incredible difficulty many had to reach the Place of Promise in God, I find it nothing short of amazing and often feel shame in my own heart for my complaints.

Abraham did not become a great man of faith instantly he had to walk out some incredible paths to reach that place where his faith was accounted to him as righteousness.  Remember his life:

• Upon arrival in Canaan, there is a famine. 
• He has trouble with his nephew Lot.
• War breaks out and he has to fight.
• Received bad counsel from Sarah and Ishmael resulted.
• Finally, he receives his ‘son of promise’ only to have God tell him to offer the boy up as a human sacrifice.

Obviously, it got better but those are some of the problems he encountered.  At what point would we have said ENOUGH!

How about Joseph and his rocky road to the place God ordained him to ascend.  Remember his life:

• Pampered by his father.
• Hated by his brothers.
• Sold as a slave.
• Falsely accused and then forgotten in prison.
• Apparently forsaken by the Lord.

Finally, he was brought out of prison and promoted to 2^nd in command in the most powerful nation on earth and used to preserve the Seed Line of the Savior in the nation of Israel.

How about men like Moses, Paul, David, Daniel, and others?  They refused to complain about the road and roughness.  They accepted the trials and difficulties as steppingstones to the Promise, not signs of being forsaken and that is a significant difference!

Many have or feel like quitting thinking that there is no help or hope, so why continue?  Why doesn’t God just remove the stones and make it easy for us?  Frankly, I am convinced if He did most would never climb to the top for truly the bumps are what we climb on and at least a motivation for us to press on and in. 

In Psalms 91 there are eleven kinds of dangers listed such as war, snakes, sickness, terror by night, arrows by day, and more, and God promises Protection from them All…  God has given His angels charge over us to keep us from bruising our feet on the bumps or stones.  They are stepping stones not stumbling stones!  So, lift up your heads and rejoice for GOD IS IN CONTROL!

May the Lord be with you and bless you as you go through this day!