Mike Gilland
A common meme circulated in social media goes like this: “Life is hard; it’s harder if you’re stupid.”
The famous late Western cowboy actor John Wayne is often credited with this statement, but according to some so-called experts, it wasn’t really Wayne who uttered this saying, either in real life or in one of his movies. But no matter who it was that first gave us this phrase, it is certainly true nonetheless.
Job was one Bible character that could relate to that quote. Job 14:1 says:
“Man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of trouble…” (ESV)
Wow! While this sentence is concise, it cuts straight to the heart in describing the plight of mankind in this life. Job surmises his situation by saying our lifetime is sparse, and we can expect lots of difficulties while we are here.
At that moment caught in Job 14, it is clear to see that he was imminently qualified to make that statement—he had lost much of his family, his livestock, his property, and his health. Three of his friends meant well, but their words were about to drive him crazy, and his wife was advising him to curse God and die. Yeah, life was hard.
We too can relate. Even if some deep tragedy hasn’t touched you personally, many around us are going through the depths of difficulty described in the passage above. The Gold Star families who lost loved ones in the bombing in Afghanistan are observing the one-year anniversary of the tragic loss of those 13 Marines. I truly can’t imagine their pain.
Many lost family members to COVID-19, and some to what seems to be senseless decisions by the government and some healthcare providers. But no matter how or why they died, their absences are profound, and the many hearts left behind are hurting.
Life is indeed hard. But those who are believers in the Gospel of Jesus have hope, given to us in His Word, the Bible. We read in its pages that this sense of difficulty is short-lived, especially in the context of eternity. There will be a day when He wipes all tears from our eyes, sin and death will be over, and we will spend eternity uncovering more of the glory of God as it unfolds before our eyes.
If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and the source of your hope, I encourage you to read the book of John—the fourth book in the New Testament—and get in touch with a pastor at a Bible-believing church.
We can’t make life be easy, because it is hard. But we can avoid being stupid and ignoring the only One who can make all things new. Let’s put our trust in Him while we ride out this life and into the sunset of eternity.