cherries and pits
The cherries of life are sweet! Enjoyable. Delightful. The moments when we wish that time could stand still. Our heart dances with joy. Our mind races with excitement. Mountain top experiences. Good days. Fun days. Easy days.
Do we relish those moments? Drinking in all that is good. Savoring the delights. Our hearts should sing songs of thanksgiving for all the cherry-on-top blessings in our lives.
On the other hand, the pits of life are hard! Choking. Unwanted. The moments when we wish time would hurry. Our heart aches with sorrow. Our mind races with worry. Down in the valley experiences. Bad days. Stressed days. Hard days.
How then should we respond? Ecclesiastes 7:14 says “When times are good, be happy; but, when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.”
We should relish those moments as well. Drinking in all that God is teaching us. Savoring each and every lesson along the way. Our hearts should sing songs of thanksgiving for God’s provision and protection in the pits of life.
Years ago, I was going through a difficult time with my health. Pain and sleepless nights led to discouragement. Not to mention, I was chasing an active 2-year old around during the day. Exhausting. Tests upon tests revealed nothing. But, it was something! I remember telling my Bible study class that “I do not have strength left to stand.” At the end of that class, our Bible study teacher gave out scriptures. She had prayed over every scripture that each woman would receive a specific Word from the Lord. She handed me a scripture and when I unfolded the index card, it read…
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.” Psalm 28:7
I remember reading that scripture aloud in the circle that day with tears streaming down my cheeks. That scripture remained posted on my bathroom mirror for many years as a sweet reminder that He is Lord over the cherries and the pits!