The Ebenezer

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,  saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us." (I Samuel 7:12)

One of my boys and I spent a lot of time today attempting to place a new stone atop our Ebenezer. It is the largest  stone yet in the construction, I'm guessing approaching 1,000 pounds. Here's the rest of the story:

There was a time when things weren't as good for my family as they are now. I had worked for the same company for over 6 years when they sold to a competitor, putting me out of work. For the next few years, I found myself underemployed in a major way. I worked as a carpenter. I worked as an assistant director of a non-profit, faith-based ministry. I worked again as a carpenter. We were never unfed. We never were without a roof over our head. However, it wasn't easy to persevere. We were subjected to the humility of going to the food pantry at our church. We were often unable to pay bills when they were due. This often puts you in the unenviable position of having to apologize and ask for the forbearance of your creditors. It was a dark time, often lonely, as our friends were unaware of what we were really going through. The ones that were aware were often unable to respond in meaningful ways. This was usually because they had been protected from such times in their own lives and they secretly assumed that it was something I had done, or more likely something I wasn't doing, that had caused our circumstances.

After traveling this unlit corridor for too many years, I eventually rounded a corner and saw light creeping from under a door. I can now look back on these years, remembering the times as bittersweet--unpleasant, yet not without benefit.

Trials and tribulations teach us what we cannot learn otherwise. There are at least two major lessons I learned in the Dark Times. One is the importance of contentment. Being satisfied where we are and with what we have is an underrated, under-practiced discipline. Not having a choice in your circumstances distills the general notion of contentment into real contentment. You are either content or your are unhappy all the time. The second lesson I learned was true thankfulness. Being thankful for the small things isn't hard either when those small things aren't so small. Giving thanks in all things, including those difficult efforts at being thankful for the hard times, is another thing that Christians talk about yet don't often fully understand.

During this time, I prayed that when we exited that dark hallway, we would be mindful of our friends in like circumstances and would offer whatever assistance we could, without judgment or criticism. I've not been able to do this on the level I'd hoped, but we continue to do what we can for our friends in their own dark times. I also feel it is an obligation that I primarily owe to our friends and family. This is the network of support that God created for such times. If you aren't there to meet these needs in those closest to you, who will?

After our exit, I built an Ebenezer behind our house. What is an Ebenezer, you ask? In this case, it is a pile of large stones I gathered from my property and organized in a conspicuous place. When you look out the back door, there it is--you can't miss it.  It is to serve as a reminder to myself primarily, and to my family also, that God's faithful hand has brought us to where we are. I wanted to remember His faithfulness and I wanted the opportunity to point to that monument and tell others of His goodness. I don't do it as often as I should, but that speaks poorly of my faithfulness, not His.

Give thanks, my friends, because God is good, all the time.