"Rubber Band"

There was once a man who was walking on a lonely, dark street. Suddenly, he looked to his feet and saw a rubber band. The rubber band looked worn from years of use and abuse, but the man decided to keep it. He was certain he would be able to use it one day, so he took it home and placed it safely away.

Years later, that same man needed something to wrap around some old recycled newspapers he was looking to store. He remembered the rubber band and decided today would be the day to use it. He grabbed it out of the box and began to stretch it to prepare it. Suddenly, he heard a small voice yell very loudly, “Hey, you are stretching me too much!” The man replied, “You are a rubber band; strong, resilient, and able to withstand. If I can’t stretch you, I can’t use you.”

Sometimes, God says the same thing about us. When He is ready to use you, will you be ready?

"Smoke Screen"

Sometimes we can’t see the forest for the trees, or the flames for the smoke, ‘til we begin to choke. We become blind to what is right before our eyes, and we allow it to destroy us; take our joy from us. We exist with no sense of benefit and accept it because we truly do not believe there is anything better. So we stop the pursuit of happiness, and we remain right where we are, refusing to reach the unreachable star; because it is easier to give in than to attempt the win. We can see the finish line, but our minds are so consumed with insignificance, disguised as confidence, trapping us in a pit again. How on earth do we think anyone will have faith in us, when it is ourselves we fail to trust? May God have mercy on us…