Just try?

03.23.21—Rejection! --1 Corinthians 2:14-15

My friend, may I ask you a question? Do you sometimes feel it pays to keep on trying. Maybe Maybe you and I just don’t have a chance to find success in a culture stacked against a Christian?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

I love good music. I can really get into a Beethoven symphony or a Mozart concerto. Listening to a piece of music like this, one that has been put together with such great craft and skill, is gratifying since there is so much to hear. I guess you could say that this is music that I can get into instead of it just getting into me.

Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who don’t see or hear music the same way that I do. Beethoven is overpowering, sometimes very loud and often melancholy. Mozart is just so much noise. We both hear the same tones, but we aren’t hearing the same music. Sometimes it can be frustrating for me I want them so much to hear and feel what I feel. Yet, as often as I try, my overtures to the music unbeliever are most often rejected. Sometimes I wonder if it pays to keep on trying. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t “get” the music thing?

Author James Hewett, however, gives me so hope. He writes: Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot. R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs. Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try! (--James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 185)

I guess if I’m going to promote my brand of music, I need to get used to rejection more often than not. And, you know, it’s really that way for the Christian on fire for God as well. More often than not, people just don’t get it. The unbeliever, lost in sin, shakes his head and walks away wondering what we see in it. Rejection, therefore, is pretty much a way of life for anyone looking to grow in grace. We need to be prepared for the ear that just doesn’t hear what we hear and the heart that cannot accept what we love. But, we need to keep on trying. God’s guidance will be there, even in defeat. Sometimes you have to play the same tune over and over again before someone gets it. I know. I love Beethoven.

We pray. Heavenly Father. Lord, we sometimes wonder if it pays to keep on trying. Maybe we just don’t have a chance to find success in a culture stacked against a Christian? The unbeliever, lost in sin, shakes his head and walks away when wondering why we as Christians keep on trying when rejection seems the only result. But we know Lord that rejection is pretty much a way of life for anyone looking to grow in grace. Forgive us Father when we surround ourselves with putty and sorrow when things don’t go our way. We need to be prepared for the ear that just doesn’t hear what we hear and the heart that cannot accept what we love. Help us through Your Spirit to keep on trying. We trust Your guidance will be there, even in defeat. Sometimes you have to play the same tune over and over again before someone gets it. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.

Just try?

03.23.21—Rejection! --1 Corinthians 2:14-15

My friend, may I ask you a question? Do you sometimes feel it pays to keep on trying. Maybe Maybe you and I just don’t have a chance to find success in a culture stacked against a Christian?

My friend, life’s a story, welcome to This Passing Day.

I’m M. Clifford Brunner

I love good music. I can really get into a Beethoven symphony or a Mozart concerto. Listening to a piece of music like this, one that has been put together with such great craft and skill, is gratifying since there is so much to hear. I guess you could say that this is music that I can get into instead of it just getting into me.

Over the years I have been amazed at the number of people who don’t see or hear music the same way that I do. Beethoven is overpowering, sometimes very loud and often melancholy. Mozart is just so much noise. We both hear the same tones, but we aren’t hearing the same music. Sometimes it can be frustrating for me I want them so much to hear and feel what I feel. Yet, as often as I try, my overtures to the music unbeliever are most often rejected. Sometimes I wonder if it pays to keep on trying. Maybe I’m the one who doesn’t “get” the music thing?

Author James Hewett, however, gives me so hope. He writes: Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot. R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on. English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books. Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs. Don’t worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try! (--James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) p. 185)

I guess if I’m going to promote my brand of music, I need to get used to rejection more often than not. And, you know, it’s really that way for the Christian on fire for God as well. More often than not, people just don’t get it. The unbeliever, lost in sin, shakes his head and walks away wondering what we see in it. Rejection, therefore, is pretty much a way of life for anyone looking to grow in grace. We need to be prepared for the ear that just doesn’t hear what we hear and the heart that cannot accept what we love. But, we need to keep on trying. God’s guidance will be there, even in defeat. Sometimes you have to play the same tune over and over again before someone gets it. I know. I love Beethoven.

We pray. Heavenly Father. Lord, we sometimes wonder if it pays to keep on trying. Maybe we just don’t have a chance to find success in a culture stacked against a Christian? The unbeliever, lost in sin, shakes his head and walks away when wondering why we as Christians keep on trying when rejection seems the only result. But we know Lord that rejection is pretty much a way of life for anyone looking to grow in grace. Forgive us Father when we surround ourselves with putty and sorrow when things don’t go our way. We need to be prepared for the ear that just doesn’t hear what we hear and the heart that cannot accept what we love. Help us through Your Spirit to keep on trying. We trust Your guidance will be there, even in defeat. Sometimes you have to play the same tune over and over again before someone gets it. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen!

Therefore my friend, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry for itself; each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matt 6:34) This Passing Day. May this passing day honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and be a blessing to you and everyone you meet. Find a stranger and say hello. Don't let another day pass without your day blessing someone else.

If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to "This Passing Day!"

<thispassingday@gmail.com> From Beech Springs, God bless you for Jesus sake.