Read In Times of Quitting Page 8

Sometimes when we are building something and are in the process of driving the nail, we accidentally strike the nail with a mis-lick of the hammer and bend it. We either pull the bent nail out to straighten it or we throw it away. If the nail isn’t bent too badly, we can straighten it and drive it on in. But, a lot of the time the nail was bent so it doesn’t matter how hard we try to drive it in, it will not go.

  Life is liken unto a bent nail. Our life, at times, is like the self-guided mis-licked hammer that struck the nail and put a bend in it. Too many times, we think we are in control of our life but we are like the mis-licked hammer. We put bends (troubles) in our lives by our own selfish ways simply by leaning to our own understanding and not putting our trust in God. It’s when we take charge of our lives, take control in our own hands and make a mis-lick with life’s hammer that we wonder and question what is happening and what went wrong. In those times of frustration and anger, we try to blame others for our mishaps. We find all others guilty, including God; the saddest thing is we are to blame.

  Life is peculiar and odd at times. It has its twists, turns, ups, downs and surprises that may leave us with plenty of questions and no answers. There are times in our life that we take complete control and leave the Lord out. That’s when life’s hammer strikes us and leaves us as a bent nail. We should first blame our self before we place the blame on others. Sometimes, the problems or troubles of this life is liken to the bent nail.

  Psalm 50:15

  And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

  Our life may not be in as bad of shape as we think. It may only take a little work to fix it. Remember, patience goes a long way.

  Isaiah 40:31

  But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

  Sometimes with a little lick here and there, the old nail will straighten and drive right on in [with little or no trouble]. Praise the Lord! Prayer makes all the difference in the world. Those few words from our heart and in the spirit of the Lord can straighten anything out, if we believe. Life hammers us with circumstances and situations that no matter what we try to do or how hard we try, we fail to see the way because we are blinded by doubt and unbelief. The harder we try to drive the bent nail, the more it seems to bend. At times, it seems like the nail is bent so bad it will not matter how much we try; it will not go in. What do we do? We have to back off, put it in God’s hands and leave it alone, totally and completely, until God’s time comes for us to face it again. We have to stand bold with our trust in the Lord.

  Philippians 4:13

  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

  If we have done our part when God’s time comes, things will be different for us. We may not always pick up and drive the badly bent nail we have laid aside. However, the new nail [under different circumstances] will drive right on in. We sometimes try too hard to make things happen. By getting away from the will of God, we get so aggravated and frustrated with the things in our life. We allow the old devil to sneak in, hinder us and leave us sitting around wondering what happened. We continuously miss the nail with the hammer [bending nail after nail] and it leaves us defeated. We should put it all in God’s hands, trust in Him and let Him make the way.

  Psalm 37:3-5

  Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.