It doesn’t matter what food items I am purchasing; I always check the expiration date. Sometimes it is difficult to see on the product, but I continue searching until I find it. Why? Because I want to know how long the item will be at its best and how long it will last. There have been times when I have come across food items that had already expired, so I notified store personnel who immediately removed them from the shelf. Well, in our life every situation, every relationship has an expiration date. Yes, whether we want them to expire or not.

When we are experiencing heartache and brokenness in our lives, it may seem like things will never get better. As soon as one ordeal ends another one begins. Sometimes we get caught amid some severe storms, not knowing when relief will come. Look at Job, an upright man who feared God and eschewed evil. He faced one dilemma after another, ultimately losing all his possessions and what he valued most of his children. As if that wasn’t enough, Satan was allowed to touch his body, but not his life. Imagine all that. Job had to feel that things were not going to get better, but they did. There was an expiration date on his troubles. Because he endured and did not curse God as his wife proposed him to do, nor sin with his lips, his problems not only expired, but his later life was more significant than his past.

If only we could trust God enough to know that trouble don’t last always. There is an expiration date for our problems too. When we are going through pain and heartache, we must learn to not sin with our lips. How do we sin? We complain, mumble, accuse God of not being fair, of forsaking us, but He is yet with us when we are going through. Relationships, whether they are personal, via marriage or any relationship we are involved in, will have ups and downs, but persevering will have its rewards, and help us to stand until the expiration date. We can’t give up or give in quickly to adverse feelings. We all want bad situations to end, but on the other hand, good relationships have an expiration date also. We don’t think about that because we are enjoying our life and situations. As I grow older, I value life more and more each day, not ever taking a day for granted. I have seen so many people leave this world at an age younger than myself.

Those of you who are in a season now of good health and healthy, thriving relationships, please don’t take those things for granted. Enjoy each day, don’t let the sun go down on your wrath, say I love you to those who are dear to you. Do something special to show your love toward others. Whether you are single and have a significant other or married choose your battles, don’t take things in life too seriously always. Take time to laugh and have fun as you serve God with a grateful heart and realize nothing last forever. Everything has an expiration date! God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalms 46:1. I’ll be back next week with a new post, “Ego!”

Be encouraged, and God bless!

Sister Jackie