Recently, I was reminded of one of my personal life slogans. Before I share it, let me set the stage of its origin:
One Sunday many years ago, a guest pastor visited our church. He shared that he had been in ministry for 48 years and had been “actively retired” (his words) for the last 12 years. He shared a story about a 41-year-old woman in one of his congregations that he suspected was dying from cancer. He described how the woman’s hair began to go and she continued to lose noticeable amounts of weight, from week to week. Despite her obvious decrease in physical condition, she was there in the same pew weekly looking up at him in the pulpit, smiling, and very engaged in the message of the day. At the end of each service, the pastor would head to the rear of the sanctuary and greet folks as they departed for the day. He shared that he could ALWAYS count on getting a smile and hug from this woman.
Over 4 Sundays, the pastor watched the woman deteriorate to near nothing. During his normal meet and greet one Sunday he saw the woman in line for her weekly hug. When it was her turn, they hugged and while embracing her, he whispered, “How do you do it? How do you maintain your joy with all you’re going through?” The woman gave him the warm smile he had grown so accustomed to, reached in her purse and pulled out a small piece of paper. She handed him the folded sheet, smiled and walked out of the church. That would be the last time the pastor would see her smile. She passed away that Tuesday morning.
After a short silence while telling that story, the pastor looks at us and says, “I’ve kept that small, folded slip of paper in my wallet for the last 50 years!” He pulled it from his wallet and read it to us:
“Pain and Suffering are Inevitable…Misery is Optional”
What a simple yet empowering thought. How are we doing with the trials of today’s world? Are we letting circumstances control our joy? Troubled times are a way of life and incredibly tough. Being miserable about it is our choice.
-Nate Copeland