A Story Encouragement

A one-year-old boy shattered his back falling down a flight of stairs. He spent his childhood and youth in and out of hospitals. When interviewed by Gavin Read, former Bishop of Maidstone, the boy remarked, "God is fair." Gavin stopped him and asked, "How old are you?" "Seventeen," the boy replied. "How many years have you spent in three hospital?" "The boy answered, " Thirteen years." Gavin asked, "Do you think that is fair?" He replied, "God has got all of eternity to make it up to me."

I read this story in a devotional not long ago and it was such an encouragement. God has promised us a mansion in heaven, no more sorrow, no more pain... So why is it so hard for us to keep from complaining about this short life's sorrows. My first job looked, on the outside, as if it would be a great place to transition into the world. Over the year I worked there I found I was deeply mistaken. I was hit by many temptations, filth, immorality, blasphemy...yet I couldn't escape it. I sent many applications out trying to get out of there but got no reply. Finally, at the end of that year the Lord opened a door for me to go someplace else. This second job's environment was so much more relaxing and spiritually safe and I loved it. But we can't escape the world completely. Hardships arose in this place as well and I returned to my complaining. Then I realized I was no better than the Israelites, that when removed from being slaves in Egypt to wandering the wilderness, complained incessantly. I always told myself the Israelites were foolish to think Egypt was better, when it was clearly not, but that's exactly what I was facing now. My new job, though still hard, was so much better than the first and I should be thanking God for saving me from the first job.