Is It Really Worth It?

This weekend my family and I ventured over to Gatorland. I think it’s becoming an after Thanksgiving tradition. I have a major dislike for gators. Call it a Northern girl fear I don’t know, but let’s just say I’m not anxious to jump in any kind of gator infested water. I have grown however to be okay with them as long as their in their space and I have mine.

I have never noticed before, but this time when we went, someone had taken the time to decorate every pole inside the where the gators were for the season. Each and every one of them had greenery wound around and big red bows gracing the top. There were even wreaths in the center. Here’s the picture I got. I’ll admit I’m a Northern girl and no where in my mind of decorating for the holidays are there gators, Santa Clauses’ on speedboats in swimming trunks, or lights in palm trees. While in the picture I took someone could have used a boat to do this, there were gator tanks all over that a boat wouldn’t have gotten you there. The water is too shallow. Someone had to run out in the middle of all those gators to decorate. Now, I’m all for decorating but that just seems a bit ridiculous. Really, they couldn’t pay me enough to run out into a pit of gators to decorate for Christmas. I kept asking is it really that important for them to decorate? Is it really worth it?

Often in our walk with God we can find ourselves asking the same questions. “God is all this I’m doing now really worth it?” “What are you thinking?” “Don’t you see this can’t be healthy?” and, “The enemy has really big teeth! Are you seeing this?” The problem that most people make is that just because they are frustrated for a few moments and are questioning they tend to give up instead of seeing the whole picture. You can’t let one moment of your life dictate your eternity. Many people assume the lack of comfort about a situation dictates the lack of the will of the Lord and that’s simply not true. You have to be steadfast and stick with what God spoke to you, even if it makes about as much sense to you as decorating a tank of live alligators.

James 4:14 (NKJV)
whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”


Now please don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you to go wrestle a bunch of alligators. But what I am saying is that trust that no matter where you are, and where God has you. If you are in His will He will take care of you. Even if you have a moment of not being in His will, His grace is there. In my illustration the gators are just symbolic. However, just like Daniel He’ll shut the mouth of the gators so you can do what you have to do.

Though your circumstance may seem difficult now, God has never left you. He won’t leave you. He loves you. He wants you to fulfill what He put you on this earth to fulfill. Call Him your biggest cheerleader if you will. He’s cheering for you!

So is it really worth it? Is all the tears, the moments of frustration, and effort worth you fulfilling what God sent you on this earth to fulfill. Absolutely! You have to remember that it’s not all about you. Your life has a ripple effect. You effect the world around you. One day you will be able to look back on your life and see the purpose of each season. He is faithful to you!

Isaiah 26:4 (esv)
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.”

You have to remember that God has awesome plans for your life. Get excited!