Cathy's Corner

Last week’s tragic shooting and death of the Pastor at First Baptist Maryville, Il makes us ask the question why. Then there was the senseless shooting and killing of ten people in Alabama this week. When these things happen, they can make us feel vulnerable, especially when there seems to be no reason or motive for the deaths. Then there is the current economic crisis. All around us people are losing their jobs, homes and everything they hold dear. I was reading this week in a book called When Life Takes What Matters and I thought I would share with you one of the devotions I read.

Caught Off Balance

Sudden loss, besides leaving us hurt and bewildered, can leave us listing seriously to one side. This state of imbalance is surprising, if not downright frightening. We had no idea we were leaning so heavily on a person, job, or ability until it was yanked away without warning.
When a loved one who partially defines who we are (or who we are not), is taken away by death, distance, divorce, or disagreement, our grief is intensified by the loss of this part of ourselves. Maybe we had depended on the person to express emotion for us or to think or decide for us. Perhaps the person was our sense of humor, our planner, our conscience, our practical side, our memory, or even are proof of worth. In one way or another, that person was our balance. And now we are off balance.
It is not just the loss of a person that can throw us off balance. Sometimes the loss of a job, ability, ideal, attribute, or goal carries with it a large chunk of our self-esteem, identity, or purpose, leaving us feeling lopsided and ready to topple over. When this happens, it may be time to confess that our sense of well-being was improperly anchored. We may also discover that our vision needs to expand—that who we are is more than what we do or how we look, and that the sum of our worth is far more than any loss.
God’s secure love and His sure promise to care for us are the perfect ballast; they provide stability without adding weight to our load. When our lives are filled with Jesus Christ and the security, worth, and identity He provides, the losses we experience cannot destabilize us. We may still toss and turn in stormy weather, but we’ll never run aground or be shipwrecked.
Find rest, o my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:5-8.

So if life has caught you off balance this week, trust in God to be your rock and your refuge. He will never let you down.

Judy Kuchar is coordinator for our paid childcare area known as our 1st Act Ministry. She began as a teacher several years ago and moved in to the role of coordinator almost two years ago. I am so thankful for Judy’s leadership and expertise. She has improved our paid childcare ministry by leaps and bounds. Her love for God, the kids, parents and teachers overflows in everything she does. She comes to me quite often with new ideas and ways to improve our ministry. It shows in our teachers and the quality of care the children receive. She also serves on Sunday mornings as a Coordinator in our Middle Preschool area. Let Judy know how much you appreciate her and all she does.

Have a great day in the Lord!