Sometimes calamities hit us like a storm and we just cannot put a finger on the reason.

Life is life and unfortunately things do go wrong. Accidents happen, people get sick. Evil occurs, people get hurt. A wrong word spoken in anger, a nasty reaction, a hasty decision and string of unsatisfactory events follow.

Usually we moan when things go wrong, when circumstances turn contentment and joy into bewilderment and a lack of peace. Come on! We do! Admit it! Often it’s ‘Why did this happen to be me?’

And in the main we find someone or something to blame!

But…what if the problem is our fault and we’re not recognising it as such? As often as not people blame God. (Funny how we have this reaction of always wanting to blame someone else!)

But what if God is real and what if he has allowed (note: allowed, not caused) the incident – perhaps something to go amiss – just to get our attention because we haven’t been listening to him or flowing his way (the right way)? Maybe we’ve strayed into unhealthy attitudes, negative thinking and relying on our intellect alone instead of his guidance. Maybe we’re allowing ourselves to separate from friendship with our friends and from seeking a meaningful daily relationship with God and worshipping him.

Perhaps too, we’ve been stepping out of line and drifting from biblical principles of right living, wholesome speech and living as Jesus Christ would. Huh?

Doesn’t mean God doesn’t care or has stopped loving us…when things go wrong and his blessings aren’t quite flowing as they use to. But, like any good parent, he wants us to get back on track.

Consequently, sometimes when things go amiss it’s God using the circumstances to give us a smack on the rump! For, because he loves us, he delights in us putting it right and getting back on track and starting afresh as it were.

God always has an eye on our future and wants to see us living a useful, productive life. Yes, we miss it at times – perhaps many times – but God will give further opportunities.

Jesus emphasised this parental principle in Luke 13: 6-9 where the vineyard carer persuades the boss to give yet another chance to a tree that had been playing up and was out of line with its owner’s wishes.

Those listening to Jesus would have been aware of the eastern ‘recipe’ for curing barren trees. The disappointed owner takes a hatchet and goes with a friend to threaten the tree with being cut down. The friend strongly restrains the owner from doing so – ‘Have patience with it.’ The owner reluctantly agrees but gives the useless tree’s stem three sharp thumps with the back of the axe ‘just to remind it that it’d better shape up’ by the following year!

Could it be that when we get a sudden jolt to the system, it’s God giving us a swift smack on the rear to startle us into getting our priorities right? And all because he cares about our life, happiness and future.

Maybe…just maybe!

Consequently, maybe instead of moaning or blaming someone else we should be asking, ‘What’s really going on here? What’s’ the bigger picture? What is God trying to tell or teach me?’

If what went wrong happened because we were out of line, then we need to repent and ask God to help us afresh. He is the God of fresh starts! And we’re more valuable to him than any tree. We Christians have a secret inner advantage over other people – we have God’s Holy Spirit within to help, restore and get us going again! The other good news is that when we repent and put him first, God can then work good out of our mistakes and calamities.

Most people are aware of Sir Winston Churchill’s famous three-word speech to a graduation class…invited to the podium, the great old man solemnly looked over the student body. A long speech, full of wisdom and challenge was expected but instead Churchill simply said, ‘Never give up.’ And then repeated the phrase with emphasis as only he could do, in his unique attention-grabbing tone.

And what profound wisdom and challenge there is in those three words!

How often do we give up, especially just short of victory!

Even in simple things, such as the other day when we were looking for a particular destination. After some minutes driving down a dusty country road we were convinced that we were on the wrong road and turned back. After wasting precious time trying other roads, we had to return to the original one –the right one – and …guess what!…the place we were looking for proved to be just round the next corner from where we had turned!

Again…how many times do we miss out in life because we give up all too soon?

How often do we miss a great opportunity to achieve, to do something new, to strike a bargain, to exercise our talents and giftedness, to help someone in need, to honour our faith, to accomplish a desire or goal, to fulfil a promise, to further our destiny, to…whatever. Probably more than we care to admit.

In Luke 11:9-10, Jesus spoke strongly about not giving up: ‘Ask and you’ll get; Seek and you’ll find; Knock and the door will open.’ Most folk understand that the verb tense he used indicates to go on asking, seeking and knocking. Someone, years ago, blocked a lot of people from fulfilling this direction and achieving in life through wrongly teaching that one should only ask God once for something and that was enough. Sounds spiritual – after all, God isn’t deaf. But we ‘re human and we need to persevere and go on asking, seeking and knocking to see our prayers answered otherwise we can easily give up and miss out. Does a child only ask once for something, especially coming up to a birthday or Christmas? Not likely! Even the most patient child subtly drops reminders.

I, along with millions of others across the world, believe in the reality of a caring God with whom we can have a living relationship.He’s fantastic! He has revealed himself as a father – the heavenly Father! He has an incredible father-heart. He just loves us to climb up on his knee (as it were) in our prayer time and knock on the door of his heart and ask away. In his wisdom he may not always grant every request but in time we learn to ask according to his will (This comes about through meditating on his Word – the Bible, and though talking with him – prayer). But he is a generous Father and he loves to favour and bless us. After all, we’re his kids, spiritually born into his family though Christ. So…persevere! God’s timing is always perfect!

Then there’s the life example of Jesus, God’s Son to consider. Despite all the hindrances thrown at him by Satan, jealous religious leaders, misunderstanding listeners and doubtful disciples, he persevered in fulfilling his destiny. He overcame every obstacle to become our Saviour.

Once again, this Easter, Christians will be remembering his sacrifice on Calvary. It was an awful, horrific and torturous thing he went through on our behalf. Memories of Mel Gibson’s The Passion come flooding back. Anyone else would have given up but not Jesus. He suffered – terribly, but he kept on the road to Calvary (Actually, the road to Calvary is more important than any ‘road to Christmas’)!

We live in a very uncertain world…and there’s talk about things getting blacker. But security, peace and a purpose in life can be found in Jesus Christ! The real message of Easter is not bunnies and eggs, but that God so loved the world that he gave his Son, Jesus, to be its Saviour and everyone who accepts him can have eternal life, sins forgiven and peace and the favour of God.

And that spells good news indeed!

Easter is also about not giving up. God didn’t (and doesn’t) give up on us. We should not give up on others, nor should we give up on life!

So …what about that project you started? Don’t give up! Or that dream to find the right life partner?

Don’t give up. Or searching for and applying for that new job? That new car or house?

Whatever!

Never give up!

There are two kinds of bad news Christians… those who, to quote an oldie, ‘They’re so heavenly minded that they are no earthly use!’

You know the kind…they give the impression that Jesus spends all day with them, that unless you constantly meditate on the Word and pray ‘all the time’ you won’t make it! Everything must be spiritual!

They put heavies on you and forbid you to relax, read a novel, watch TV or a movie, or simply have fun. They’re a bad influence on others who are trying to find a meaningful and fulfilling relationship with a caring father-figure God who has given the gift of an adventurous life.

The other kind is those who blame the devil on everything. Okay…Satan does get in the way at times, he does come against Christians and the church, especially when we are upsetting his devious plans, but often as not these folk are lost in a self-induced or satanic deception that gives glory to the devil whereas they should be turning fully to Jesus and allowing him to bring them through whatever the challenge, problem or tragedy may be.

You know that kind too… they see the devil in everything! ‘Don’t wear that brooch – it symbolises Satan.’ ‘Oh you can’t have that colour – it a devil colour.’ ‘The devil gave a hard time this week’ when all the while it was their own fault that caused the heartache, headache or problem.

The first kind constantly repeats the old Pharisee mistake of being overtly ‘religious.’ Worse still, they want to bind everyone else under ‘law’ along with themselves.’ In outworking, they would stop you from enjoying your relationship with the Lord. Jesus doesn’t want us being spiritual freaks! Rather he wants us to relax and enjoy life to the full.

What sort of god wouldn’t rejoice in our enjoyment in life? A miserable one! But no, our God is one of joy and laughter who delights when he sees his kids relaxing, being themselves and enjoying life.

Of course, we are meant to live a wholesome life, not yielding to the things of the flesh. He’s given us his Holy Spirit to help us and to keep us right – as we read and listen to his instructions. But he doesn’t want us being spiritual weirdos or little robots! Some Christians need to cut loose, to loosen up and get real!

In the first case, ‘Christians under law’ have a wrong picture of God…they only see him as a heavy-handed God who deals in wrath. Paul said the letter of the law kills but the Spirit gives life. That we’re under a covenant of life through the Eternal Spirit (2 Cor.3: 6,11).

God’s the God of love who quickly forgives and wants us to live free from very human–originated bondage and religious law. To live in the freedom of what his Word really says. After all, Jesus did state that he had come to set us free and to give us life more abundantly (Joh. 8:36, 10:10). Let’s believe it and live in it. And not force bondages on others.

A lot of people – even Christians who are supposed to positive in every situation – seem to foolishly delight in living in the past! Yet Christians are meant to be people of the present creating – with the Holy Spirit’s help – a great future. Grabbing hold of the biblical promise of Jeremiah 29:11 and living life to the full. Getting on with life.

All too often we allow the mistakes and the bad-case scenarios of yesteryear to bind us today from enjoying life and ‘moving on.’

Refuse to live there! Move on!

Truth is that we’ve all made errors of judgment both in speech and action – including some things we’re ashamed of – one of the beauties about being a Christian is that when we ask forgiveness we’re totally forgiven and can ‘get a life.’

The Bible has several examples of people who blew it but they rose up and move on. One I’ve been looking at recently is the prodigal son. He came to his senses and in Luke 15:18 determined ‘I will get up and go…’ He then rose up out of the pigsty and made for the only one who could help him re-establish and gain a better future – his father. Things worked out fantastically for the guy! It all speaks to us of the confidence we can have in the heavenly Father – God himself who cares so much for everyone.

Another classic is King David who succumbed to the lusts of the flesh and has an extramarital affair with the beautiful Bathsheba. Some of you will remember the story…she gets pregnant, David tries everything to cover his guilt, even having her husband Uriah set up to be murdered.

But…truth always comes out. An ashamed David marries the widow but their child comes down with a fatal illness. 2 Samuel 12 describes David’s hitting the ground, fasting and praying for the baby. It’s to no avail and God mercifully takes the child. But when David realises the baby is dead he arises, cleans up, changes from mourning clothes, worships God and asks for food (v19-20). His servants ask, ‘Why the change?’ and he simply explains that he’s moving on (v21-23).

Note the wording of v20, ‘David got up … .’ He rose and moved on!

To change your circumstances you need to get up and out of whatever is binding you or you’re wrongly holding on to and move on into a future of hope and confidence in God!

Let go of the past. We can be our own worst enemy by holding onto it or burying ourselves in it or not letting go.

You probably know some people who keep talking about the past (even the good things that can bind and stop them from moving into fresh experiences for today!). Move into a better lifestyle.

One of the greatest declarations of Jesus was his dramatic statement of John 8:36 that he’s made us free! He also said that ‘God is the God of the living not the dead’ (Matthew12: 27). Believe these words of God! If you’re living in the past then you bound to it and living among the dead!

Think of the various New Testament people with needs – Mark relates the miracle turnaround of the blind, the lepers, the demon-possessed, the sick woman of Chapter 5 verse 25. All were in a kind of pigsty or downer situation, all decide to rise up and go (or were brought by caring friends or parent) to Jesus the one who changes circumstances.

William James (1842-1910) said, ‘The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind.’

Maybe that’s what you need to do today – rise up and determine to meet Jesus in a life-changing encounter that will result in a new future for you. There’s always hope in Jesus! Just refuse to live in the past!