I could probably write a book on this topic, but I am going to try and narrow it down to a simple post.
I am glad at this point in my life that God has helped me to grow beyond the proclivity to spend days and days upon the pity pot when trials hit my life. I’m not saying I don’t sit down on the pot and grown for a while, because I do. What I’m saying is when I find myself sitting on the pity pot, I start looking around at what I have to be grateful for, and a rope to pull myself up off the pot.
I’m still attempting to pull myself off the pot right now as I write this, and am hoping through this post I will be reminded that like all things this pain is temporary and I can find ways to make myself feel better.
The Saturday of Labor Day weekend our 2009 Kia Optima gave it up. We were traveling down the highway at about 70 MPH on a very hot day when we heard this horrible noise in the engine. We immediately pulled over and when into “what the heck is going on mode”!
A couple people pulled over and tried to help, both of them thinking it might be a cracked head gasket.
Well, we called AAA and had it towed about 25 miles to a shop near our home. Since it was a holiday weekend, the shop was closed until Tuesday, so we had the weekend to ponder it all.
As Tuesday morning rolled along I sat anticipating the call that was going to tell me it was going to cost me several hundred dollars. Well, when the call came in, it wasn’t several hundred dollars, but $6,000.00; the engine was blown. I was told that some bolt stripped loose in the engine, dropped the balance bar which went into the engine destroying it and the oil pump. Of course when I was given the news all I could tell them man was, “I’m sorry, I can’t even process this right now, I will have to call you back”.
Well, I called my wife and shared the news with her, and we both decided then and there we wouldn’t get down about it. God is good, and He will help us through this; I know this to be true. But, in the interim, this has become a major trial for me.
Kia insisted we have it towed to a Kia dealer which was 50 miles away and wants us to pay for it to be diagnosed. I already paid the original place $100 to find the problem; the dealer is saying they have to tear the engine apart which could take up to 8 hours at $110.00 an hour. I spent all day on the phone between Kia and the dealer and am just plain weary over it all.
We just had to fax oil change records to the dealer and worry they will try to use that we went 8 months between the last two oil changes to pin the problem on. Our vehicle is not under warranty any more, but it is my understanding that the particular problem isn’t a warranty issue any way, but a defect in our particular motor.
Why am I sharing all this with you? Well, for two reasons. One, to vent so I don’t explode, and two so that you and I can both look at this and say, “Yah, that sucks, but there are far worse things that could be happening to you”.
There are people dying from cancer and other diseases, there are people dying and or being maimed in car accidents. There are people in other countries who are being gassed, imprisoned for their faith in Jesus Christ, etc. etc. etc.
When I look at that last paragraph I realize how trivial my trial is in comparison with what so many others are going through. Also when I look on the plus side to see how blessed my life is I realize that I, like all of us, must be willing to accept the trials, as well as, the blessings.
If Kia doesn’t pay to have our car fixed, it will not get fixed because I certainly can’t afford it have it done. On top of that, we will still have to continue to pay the $6,000 we still owe on our car over the next few years. Well, I think the ring around my back side from the pity pot is deep enough, and it is time to focus on other things.
James 1:2-4 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Thank you for letting me vent, and I would appreciate prayer for my wife and I that we can truly embrace the scripture above. I know, like all things, this will pass.
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