Many are facing hard times today - unemployment, increasing debts, high gasoline prices, a bad housing market, etc. In addition, our military is engaged in three wars, and various natural disasters have brought pain and suffering on a large scale. It would be nice not to be affected by such problems, but most of us are. And even harder times may be ahead.

Believe it or not, there is a positive side of hard times. Such times can have a good effect on those involved. First, hard times remind us that earthly things are unpredictable. We must not trust in "uncertain riches but in the living God" (1 Timothy 6:17). Second, hard times cause us to reassess our spiritual lives. We take many things for granted in good times and become spiritually lazy. Hard times bring a much needed wake-up call. Third, hard times remind us of what is truly important - the truth, the church, our families, brotherly love, peaceful unity, etc. The silly squabbles that arise among us due to pride, selfishness, and jealousy would all be wiped away by the realization that we truly need one another in hard times.

We do not want really hard times to afflict our society or country, but if it should come, it just might be exactly what is needed to wake this nation up, and wake up those who are sleeping their spiritual lives away. The less faith we have in this present world, the greater our faith will grow in God and the hope of eternal life.

- Lakeland Hills Leader, 4/10/11