Getting to the Toy at the Bottom of the Cereal Box

When I was a kid, I can remember getting a new box of cereal and being in eager anticipation of getting to the toy. Maybe I’ve grown up and the way I look at the toys in cereal boxes has changed, but I remember they used to have to coolest toys in those cereal boxes. Inevitably I’d open the box expecting the toy, only to find out that the toy had been hidden in the bottom of the cereal box. One would have to eat the entire box of cereal before they could even get to the toy. Sure one could have dumped all the cereal out and gotten the toy, only to put the cereal back in the box, but in my house growing up my mom would have never let us do that! We would have to wait. It our young minds the waiting was excruciating. Day after day went by, and we would be waiting and waiting. In the eyes of a child waiting for any length of time is too long. Would this be the day we could get to the toy? Would we ever get to the toy? We wondered why we could just thrust our hand in the box and see if we could see a corner of the plastic wrapping. Secretly we tried, but only when no one was looking. Eventually it would happen. After days of eating the cereal, there was finally the day when we lifted the box up and the toy came sliding down into our milk to splatter us in the face. But we didn’t care, because finally we had our plastic piece of fun, and all was well with the wait.

As we get older, I have found that the promises of God are a lot like that toy in the cereal box. We open the box and get excited at the prospect of things He has spoken. Then we see all the cereal or things we have to go through to get to the toy. Some of us stay diligent in getting to the toy, and some of us get really tired of the same old cereal and try to trade it for another box because perhaps the other cereal would work out just as well. Then those people who trade cereal’s get frustrated that their not getting the toy they really wanted.

The joyous day will happen when the toy will be seen but you have to stick with it.

Romans 5:3-5 (New King James Version)3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

If that box of ‘Frosted Flakes’ seems to be getting too old for you. Stick with it! Because perseverance helps produce character! You’ll get to the toy at the bottom of your cereal box, and you’ll be glad you did! God has awesome things in store for you, but you have to stick with it. Enjoy the cereal along the way, it’ll be well. He has plans for you, and you’ll be excited on that day when you finally get to see it. Be encouraged!

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