Rev. Chadrick Brown

Solon Center Wesleyan Church

15671 Algoma Ave NE

Cedar Springs, MI 49319

Michigan has a lot of things going for it, the great lakes, the in-land lakes, the rivers that run all through it, the sand dunes, beautiful lighthouses and a ton of golf courses. Some of these places are absolutely beautiful, but I can’t golf if my life depended on it.

One of my best friends a while ago was a semi-pro golfer and instructor. Quite often, he would invite me out, just to hang out and deepen our friendship. Each and every time he asked, I would decline. Not because I didn’t want our friendship deepened, but simply because he was a semi-pro golfer and I was simply terrible. In fact, I really don’t like the game. I’ll drive the cart in a heartbeat, but don’t make me play. But just like a good friend, he would not take “No” for an answer. He kept inviting me and told me that he would show me a few tips and help me with my game to make me a better golfer. Well, I gave in, but every time, without fail, I was terrible and could not get that little ball to straighten out. You would think as a pastor, God would have given me the gift of playing golf, but He didn’t, so I’ve given up on golf.

But I did hear something interesting. When they first manufactured golf balls, they made the covers smooth. Then it was discovered that after a ball had been roughed up, one could get more distance out of it. So they started manufacturing them with dimpled covers. That’s why the golf ball looks the way it looks today.

That got me thinking. Isn’t that how life is? It takes some rough spots in our lives in order to make us a better person. It takes some bumps and bruises to help us understand and gain wisdom. It takes going through difficulties to truly appreciate the good times. And it takes our trust being broken to really understand how special it is to trust someone again.

So friend, the next time life gets a little hard or difficult, don’t get upset, discouraged, or even mad. Just see what you can take away. Don’t get depressed, or try to get even with a person for the bumps and bruises they have caused you. But see what you can learn to make you go farther in this life. Here is a fact of life that we all know. Difficult times come and go, so let the difficulties in life make you better, not bitter; stronger, not sourer. See how bumps in your life can take you farther.