It has been raining a lot here in California so far this winter. The previous few years were a draught, but lately it has been like a deluge. Landslides are prevalent in the news, and other rain soaked areas are starting to feel the weight of the water bearing down on them.

But compared to other states, this rain is probably little by comparison. I remember hearing a story about a guy back east (North to North-Eastern States) getting up early in the morning of a work day to shovel snow off his driveway. Afterwards, he came back in the house, showered, ate breakfast, then proceeded out to his car for the commute. When he got outside for the second time there was a layer of new snow. Then he went back in and changed, once again, to go shovel the snow off his driveway.

Makes me glad sometimes that I live in California. Somebody told me once that back east, you never really get used to the cold, or at least they didn't anyway. But there are probably a lot of people that do get used to it, and when they eventually move to California, there is a lot of extra time to do other things.

We all take for granted certain things that we do and think about on a daily basis. You get used to thinking about the same topics and the same assumptions that you make about life. But how do you keep these repeat thoughts from taking too much control of your life? Through prayer.

In the past, I used to like watching cop shows. They dealt in evidence. They weren't interested in assumptions, only the facts. I remember hearing many a precinct captain on a show that would get upset at an officer for going by their gut instinct or any hunch they may have. "We only deal facts around here, not hunches." This was an ever popular quote in cop shows.

1 Kings 3:23-28 23 Then the king said, "Let's get the facts straight: both of you claim the living child, and each says that the dead child belongs to the other. 24 All right, bring me a sword." So a sword was brought to the king. 25 Then he said, "Divide the living child in two and give half to each of these women!" 26 Then the woman who really was the mother of the child, and who loved him very much, cried out, "Oh no, sir! Give her the child-don't kill him!" But the other woman said, "All right, it will be neither yours nor mine; divide it between us!" 27 Then the king said, "Give the baby to the woman who wants him to live, for she is the mother!" 28 Word of the king's decision spread quickly throughout the entire nation, and all the people were awed as they realized the great wisdom God had given him. TLB

Sometimes in life we do not get our facts straight. We go on assumptions and often they limit us from doing what we need to do in life. It is so easy to fall into complacency, when all we have to do is analyze the facts, and forget about the assumptions.

But we have gotten into such a habit of thinking the same things, which are quite often negative and sometimes in relation to others that we either work with or and/or spend any time with. We remember how a person wronged us and so those thoughts repeat themselves through our brains like some machine gun with unlimited ammo firing off into oblivion.

So many thoughts are unnecessary. So many feelings take a hold of us and never seem to let go. But it isn't the feelings that are taking hold. It us that take a hold of these feelings and don't let go. We somehow feel that holding on to this negativity is somehow going to solve our problems for us. But it doesn't. It only keeps us from thinking about solutions and a better life.

It is like fear. The more we think that we are afraid, the more we will be afraid. But if we break this pattern and start thinking of something else more worth while, we will start to realize that we are able to see ourselves as people that can cope with adversity, regardless of what we may presently think.

Proverbs 24:10 You are a poor specimen if you can't stand the pressure of adversity. TLB

Hard words to take a hold of. A lot of us must be poor specimens. Most of the human race must be poor specimens. But what adversity is meant here? Is it simple adversity or adversity where people are so deeply effected that it takes them a while to get out of the smoggy bog of negative feelings, remorse or the mourning process? This latter bit of adversity and our hardened feelings, may not be the adversity that is meant here.

But what is meant by the "pressure of adversity?" Those that take the lives of others along with them, when they commit suicide, because they want to lash out at the world for what ever injustices they think have befallen them. A person who is a poor specimen may be a person that drowns in drink to the detriment of their family and cause a child to grow up thinking that the world is an awful place.

Whatever the case may be, that type of person needs to take a hold of themselves and seek Gods love and understanding. Instead of assuming, think about how Jesus would have reacted. Instead of chewing yourself out or others, first seek Gods guidance. Remember awful words spoken are like the flame that never stops burning. A flame that burns up all that is good. But the person who deals with adversity, deals in facts, and passes the wind of assumption to it's rightful place, is a person that seeks wisdom in adversity. A wisdom that can only come from God.

Prayer: Dear Lord, often I seek the answers to questions I may have and I realize I don't give you my time to answer these questions. If I gave you the time, even a second of my time, I know you world help me. Help me to come to this realization more, when I make my emotions rule me without letting the facts sink in. Guide me in this coming week to seek you often. I thank you for all your many blessings. Amen.

Benediction: Now, Lord, Bless us in our daily lives. Help us to smell the roses whenever possible, to shine our light on those less fortunate than us, and lead us in the path we should go. For you are the light that keeps our path well lit. Help us to follow it, until we meet you, in a land where milk and honey abound, a place where our most wonderful dreams are fulfilled. Amen.

Hi, my name is Bryan, a messenger of hope who would love to hear from you. God Bless.

© 2005 Bryan Hill