When Will My Life Not Suck?

I'm reading the book by Ramon Presson titled, "When Will My Life Not Suck?" with the subtitle "Authentic Hope for the Disillusioned." I am only on the introduction and already blown away! I mentioned the book in a previous post and was sweetly surprised and blessed when a generous and thoughtful friend asked if she could get it for me. I have no doubt the LORD has some things to say to me through this book.

I guess you could say I've been in a "funk" lately. As if grief doesn't mess with you enough, I also know that the physical pain from this herniated disk contributes to my thought processes and frame of mind. And not in a good way, I might add.

While reading page two of the introduction to Presson's book, I nodded in agreement with several paragraphs. If the introduction is any indication of how the rest of the book is going to be, it's going to be great. The author is funny, candid, and profound, as well as God-centered.

I identify with Presson when he says:

"But life often feels more like a roller-coaster ride--slow climbs, sudden falls, jerky turns, and someone else in control of the whole brain-jarring romp. When my life feels like a roller-coaster ride, I want to get off. I want to know, along with countless others, when is this going to be over? When will my life not suck? 
But it is into the very middle of our twisting, turning, roller-coaster lives that God comes. It is into the ecstasies and agonies of our story that the Bible speaks. The apostle Paul said that if we only have hope for this life, with no legitimate hope of heaven, we are to be exceedingly pitied. But I believe that the converse is also true--if the only hope we have is the afterlife, then we get close to Camus's assertion that the only question man must concern himself with is whether or not to commit suicide. If the only meaning and purpose is to be found through the portal of death, then why even bother with life?"

Wow. How did he know the debate going on in my head for the past several weeks??? For sure, the loss of a loved one leaves you with more questions than answers. Having additional physical pain factored into the equation of grief has left me questioning more along the line of Camus' assertion...and coming up likewise with the wrong answer. 


I know enough of God's truth to know that He isn't all about our happiness. But He doesn't take pleasure in seeing us miserable, either. He's all about our holiness. He desires, as His Word says, that we have an abundant life, a life that transforms more and more into His image. Satan would like nothing more than to see a believer reflect poorly of God. If he can't get us to doubt God or believe lies, then he will aim next at crippling us, seeking to make us powerless and ineffective.

I almost fell for it, too. Only God spoke. On page two. When will my life not suck? I don't know, but the author has already pounded a stake in the ground with an arrow pointing in the right direction. I'm following the way to hope, taking comfort in knowing there are others who've made it through.