I can look back on my childhood and remember many things, but the memories that are the most vivid are those of my parents. I had a wonderful mom and dad and I become more and more thankful for them as time goes by. It has often been said that you can’t fully appreciate something until you lose it and I have to agree. Both my parents have passed so I have experienced the pain of losing them, but almost every time I think of them I am reminded of another valuable life lesson that they taught me.

Going through tough times we learn some valuable lessons that we may not have learned any other way. This is not however, usually something that we are necessarily happy about. When I was a child and my parents corrected me it wasn’t something I was happy about either. But as I became a man, I realized that the things I learned through that correction were invaluable. Many times we cannot see the good in something until we are on the other side of it. It’s sort of like driving through a dark tunnel on a bright sunny day and the sunshine cannot be seen until we come out on the other side. The bright sun was always shining but the tunnel was blocking it from us.

Even in what we consider to be dark times, Jesus said in Matthew 28:20; …..”and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We are going to come out on the other side of our heartaches, loneliness, and trouble, and the sun will be shining. We will, in truth, experience many blessings through those times but we may not realize it until the sun is shining again. Keep loving each other and showing works of kindness, even to those that might never return that love or kindness.

In Matthew 5:44, Jesus said: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

What happens on the other side of the tough stuff is up to us. If we walk hand in hand with the creator of the universe, He will get us through the stuff and we will abide in His truth, power, and provision.

These are the things we learn at the Gathering Place every Wednesday evening at 7 and Sunday morning at 9:30 and 10:30. On Sunday evening we have youth group and recovery class at 6. You can also join us Sunday morning at 10:30 on Facebook at The Gathering Place, or on our website: gatheringplacewch.org. Click on “watch live here.”