Don't Give Up!

This week I want to comment on a book I read some time ago. It’s The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, and it tells of the life of Esther Greenwood, a young student fashion writer, whose troubled life closely resembled Sylvia’s. In the book she says, "I’ve tried to picture my world and the people in it as seen through the distorting lens of a bell jar." The book itself ends on a hopeful note, but as some of you may know, Sylvia Plath committed suicide. Her mother said that Sylvia was overwhelmed by trying to keep up with her writing and with the demands of her domestic life.

The idea of someone at the pinnacle of her success ending her life seems unthinkable, but it happens all too often. In this economy when many people are losing their jobs, their homes and their life savings, it is easy to become depressed. Last week the news media broadcast a story of a man and his wife who lost their jobs. He killed himself and his five children. The wife attempted to take her own life but didn't succeed.

This is why I cannot overemphasize the importance of being anchored to God. It is He who gives us the strength to live from day to day. It is He who helps us to stay on the surface when the currents of life threaten to pull us under. Now, more than ever, we need to "lift up our eyes to the hills, from whence comes our help" Psalm 121:1. Please, don't give up. Don't lose hope. Give your life to Jesus today if you haven't done so already, and watch Him take over.