Every day you wake up can present you with an opportunity or a challenge. The demands of life make your muscles ache. On the other hand, your mental anguish may be disheartening. The looming financial situation could be discouraging.

The challenge to rise above the swamps of despair seems impossible at times. There are two positive solutions. The first can be to chip away at the dilemma. If we choose this route, the process will be slow and painful. The ultimate goal is somewhere in the distance. The chips of personal experience may be bitter. However, experience is a good teacher. Our lives would be better, quieter, and less painful if we avoided some of life’s learning pitfalls.

The second would be to ask the Lord for guidance. Bible believers are encouraged to ask for wisdom (James 1:5). This verse reminds us that God gives insight to all who ask and gives it generously. This truth is a promise that Christians ignore too much. The “how to’s” of life are available for the asking. We may need to ask ourselves, “Why don’t we apply this Bible truth to our lives?”

Our lives would be more straightforward with fewer flaws. Are we satisfied with one slice of God’s goodness? The whole cake is available. The Lord is willing to share. But are we ready to sit down with him and enjoy the presence of the Almighty?

The road of challenges always intersects the highway we travel. The smart ones learn from their mistakes and will not turn on the road of bumps and bruises. The wiser have seen the evidence. The experiences of those who’ve gone before us are better. These have learned to look in both directions before crossing the roads of life.
