By Jessica Brodie

Have you ever tried to toss something in the trash and missed?

We have some recycling containers at the foot of my garage stairs, so I am forever opening my garage door and tossing rinsed-out cans of cat food and plastics in the container. However, half the time there are too many items in the recycling container, so whatever I toss bounces right off of it and goes flying. You think given that losing ratio, I would have the sense to take the three or four steps down the stairs to place said object in recycling bin, but no. Laziness wins, and I cavalierly toss and hope for the best.

But the last few times I’ve tossed something in the bin, get this—I’ve made it! One evening last week, I knew my chances were slim to none because the recycling bin was almost full to the top, but I tossed my husband‘s Diet Dr Pepper bottle from the top of the stairs, and what do you know? I made it!

It almost felt like I was on a winning streak in life. As my kids would say, life was giving me W’s.

It feels good to be on a winning streak, doesn’t it? Things seem brighter, more hopeful. It’s easy to be generous during those times, too, more compassionate. Things are going well, so why not lend some cash, share a meal, give somebody extra time? Why not be expansive when goodness just seems to be going around?

When you’re on a losing streak in life, it’s a lot harder. Even if it’s just silly stuff, sometimes it feels like one setback or slump leads to another, sometimes for weeks or months on end. Let’s face it, it can be years on end, too. Those are hard times. Maybe you feel like Job from the Bible, who to his friends looked like he’d lost favor with God or done something wrong to earn such misfortune. His entire fortune, all of his children, all of his servants and livestock—gone in an instant (Job 1:13-19).

Maybe that’s how you feel, too, when the days and weeks and months and even years go on and things don’t seem to improve for you… like God has forgotten you, like you’ve somehow lost favor with God or done something wrong to earn his wrath. Maybe you’re left feeling utterly miserable because of it, and it’s made you want to cling far too tightly to what you do have—your money, your time, whatever it is. You don’t want to share some of your blessings or your extras because who knows if you can replace them?

Slowly, your focus turns ever-inward.

One of the biggest lies the devil tries to tell us is that bad things are happening because we deserve them. Sometimes, bad things just happen. Sometimes God isn’t punishing us—we’re just going through a hard time. We don’t see in that hard time all the ways he’s with us, protecting us, perhaps saving us from even worse situations.

In fact, sometimes, we go through life surprised when bad things happen, as if they shouldn’t happen to someone who is beloved by God.

But guess what? They do, and they will.

Take a look at the Book of Isaiah, when God tells his people Israel, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2 NIV).

Notice here that God says “when” those bad things happen—not “if.”

It’s much like Jesus’s words in John 16:33: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Some days, you will have trouble. Some days, you won’t.

Some years, life will trudge on with difficulty—poverty, suffering, anguish, pain. Other years will be sweet, carefree, like heaven on earth.

God is with us, regardless. The challenge for Christians is to behave in a hopeful, loving, generous, merciful, and compassionate way in life, whether things are good or bad, whether you’re on a winning streak or losing streak.

Whatever our circumstances, God is with us, walking beside us, holding and caring for and protecting us. God loves us, now and always.

Remember: One day, we’ll be in heaven, and all our tears will be wiped away. But for now, we press on, some days winning, some days losing, knowing that at the end, we get the best prize of all—eternal life with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

And that’s the best win of all.

A prayer: God, thank you for walking with me even on days I can’t feel you beside me. Help me have faith that you are always there and you love me. Help me put my feet on your path and walk in your ways and your will, now and forever. Amen.

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