Traveling Through The Land Of Subtraction

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  NIV

Merram-Webster's definition of subtraction is: to take away by or as if by deducting. Everyone encounters the season of subtracting.
It's unavoidable. In this season, we dot all I's and cross all T's. In our finite minds, we are doing everything we know to be right. We are treating others as we'd wish to be treated. We have cut down on complaining and gossiping. We exercise our faith and encourage others to do so. We think, it's time to live like the faith we profess. Like a child trying to please their parents, we're trying to be good. we know can never be good enough to earn a seat in paradise with the Lord, but we just aspire to live right, to finally practice what we preach.

Despite our best efforts it seems, or feels like, God whips out his pen, a red one and starts grading us. A red X here, a red X there, lowering our score that we've worked so hard for. This score can also be called personal growth, or our faith walk. Then He begins subtraction. Losing that job at the onset of the holiday, which produces a financial reversal-subtraction. The loss of a loved one, unexpectedly-subtraction. A huge disagreement that threatens to ruin and separate the family-subtraction.

While traveling through the land of subtraction, it becomes difficult to recall all the addition times. We as humans have a tendency to focus on the minus in life. We forget all about the wonderful additions we've experienced. Highs so high, we thought we'd taken up residence. All of them become a distant memory when the road of subtraction unfurls in front of us.

Everything has its polar opposite. Hot/cold. Dark/light. Smooth/rough. The things to remember is seasons change. Light follows darkness. Even during the day, when it's dark and dreary, the sun is shining high above the clouds. And rough roads eventually become smooth.

Sometimes we wonder what we did, or did not do to bring about the era of subtraction. In a word, NOTHING. Another word, LIFE. Subtraction is inevitable, Life is not meant to flow seamlessly.

But then subtraction moves on. You may later thank God for subtracting the job, so you could go back to school and get the degree, and a new career. Time passes and although splintered, new family members enter the family circle. Or the beautiful remembrances of a loved one that's gone on. You don't dwell on these while they're still with us, but once they leave, the memories, the laughter and even the tears are like a balm to our thirsty souls. All of this is God's addition. He adds great things. He gives beauty for ashes.  Watch. Wait. See.

Let's try not to pay such close attention to the subtraction. Let's watch, wait and see God's restoration, His beautiful addition come into fruition.

Ninakupenda
Kupendana