Nothing really pleasant comes without work and pain!

The title is from words said to me last night as I visited and shared with a woman.  We were talking about the creation story and man and woman and their disobedience.  She said she liked the whole story.  Often people will say that as what we would call a "sunday school" answer, because it is God's Word.  However generally they will begin to agree that there are parts of the story that are difficult to like such as the woman having pain in childbirth or man having to work hard to have just a little to eat.  This woman though did not change her opinion.  She agreed that childbirth is painful, but having the baby is wonderful.  Having a child with good character is a good thing, but raising them to have good character is not pleasant sometimes.  "Nothing pleasant and worth having," she said, "comes without work and pain."  How true that is but oddly enough painful. So often we want things and think they should come easily, but the best things just do not happen that way.  I experienced that just yesterday on the way to visit this woman.  I was tired from a busy week of home school and really just wanted to relax.  However I knew that this is the reason why I am here and that there were women expecting me to show up with a Word to study.  Fortunately, I was reminded on the way that when we are weak, then He is strong.  When we are at our end, He is most able to work and show Himself true to His Word.  What is it that you most want and desire?  Are you willing to work for it?  Are you willing to put in the blood, sweat, and tears to get to it?  Really?  Am I? This visit was a gut check I needed.

By the way, lift up this woman.  She has lots of "good" answers but it also seems like she just wants to put the good I teach in her basket of beliefs.  She needs to realize that she must throw out the rest of the basket and start afresh and anew.  Ask the Father to give me the words to say to prick this woman's heart.