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Finding a Different Viewpoint

                Walking up the path in the rain, we were not convinced that it was worth the hike.  Sara, the girls and I had spent a week in Oregon and we had seen a lot of waterfalls, so the thought of one more was not all that exciting, but we grit our teeth and kept going.
                Grit your teeth and keep going.  That must have been how the churches in the book of Revelation felt.  Seven churches, each facing different struggles, were told to hang on and keep trudging.  More specifically, Jesus tells each of them that they will win the prize if they overcome their circumstances, their own selfish desires and even Satan himself (Revelation 2:7; 11; 17; 26; 3:5; 12; 21).  This is good advice.  Life does not always go in logical, straight lines and what you need may be right around the corner, just out of sight.  Many blessings come after holding on and overcoming.  Sometimes you just have to keep going.
                Back to Oregon for a moment:  As we were trudging up the mountain, we met an older couple going back down.  When they saw us, their faces lit up and they said, “Oh the waterfall is beautiful!  Best one we have ever seen! You will love it!”   Suddenly, our attitudes changed.  Instead of trudging miserably along, we walked with anticipation.  At every corner, we sped up wondering if this was when the waterfall would come into view.      
                I have come to believe that hope and expectation are two of the most important attitudes that we can cultivate in our lives.  The belief that something good is coming changes the way we approach each day and every event that we face.  Especially for believers, life should not be a joyless struggle.  Rather, because of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, our lives ought to be marked with joy, hope and anticipation!  
                To be sure, there will be times when you must put your head down and just keep going.  However, it is much easier to do so when you know that there is something beautiful waiting just around the corner.
 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

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