Believing that everything bad is just temporary

How would you feel if you believed that bad piece of luck you were experiencing would not last? It seems like unpleasant happenings will never end, while they're making their appearance. You think your misery, bad health, sadness, failure or hard times will be with you forever.

You can't see the sunshine for the clouds. You try, and sometimes things become worse -- or still other setbacks occur. "When will this ever end," you wonder?

Everybody has their way of coping when things go wrong. Many pray to their higher power. In my case, I pray to God. Other people consult astrologers or mediums, give up, become depressed, and still others press on. "If I just KNEW this would eventually go away," you say to yourself. "Then I could go on and remain calm and peaceful." Knowing that bad never lasts is actually the attitude Christians should always have when they experience worrisome circumstances.

I visited a relative, Jenny, recently, who has stage-four cancer. She is so brave in her fight against the demon disease that she wins the admiration of everyone who knows her situation -- her doctors, especially. She keeps on doing whatever she can to keep living. As my husband and I were sitting in her living room visiting the two of them, her husband made a comment that enlightened me to, at least, one reason for my relative's tenacity.

Jenny was resting in a recliner. She was covered in a pretty, colorful Christmas blanket scattered with lifelike snowflakes. She also wore a bright and cheerful red sweatshirt and pants. Her husband had bought them for her so she would wear them to her next chemotherapy session. I thought, "What a thoughtful gesture." Her daughter had filled the yard and house with Christmas ornamentations that put you right in a cheerful, festive mood, like everything was, indeed, normal.

The particular dosage of chemotherapy Jenney was receiving was very strong and took its toll on her body, even though it slowed the cancer cells. She only had a few more treatments to go. As we rose to leave, we said our goodbyes -- telling Jenny to continue improving, and making other encouraging remarks. But before we could make it out the door, we were stopped, suddenly, in our tracks by what her husband said.

"Oh, this is only temporary," he said. "When she finishes with this type of medicine, she will be on a much lighter dosage. Then she will feel much better." I was taken aback with the definite tone of his voice. "Wow," I thought.

If I were in Jenney's shoes and my husband infused me with such statements, perhaps it would be easier for me to keep fighting, too. If you know there's an end to anything difficult, it is much easier to endure the cross. His words gave me even more hope than I initially held for Jenney, because I sincerely believe that, "With God all things are possible." Matthew 19: 26. My spirits were uplifted, because he reinforced what I felt.

When the going gets rough, and you feel like giving up, just remember that most bad things are just temporary. Merely realizing that fact will bring relief and new hope. Even though you can't see the positive now, remember that light always does follow darkness. God shows his power through elevating the weak and making the impossible happen. He blesses both the weak and the strong and both the rich and the poor. Faith and love in and for the Father, His Son and the Holy Spirit are what makes the difference.

You can endure anything for a time. That time may stretch into what seems like forever, but it, too, is just passing through. Everything is only temporary, so keep on persevering and you will reach your goal. The bad will step aside to make way for the good.