Norwich lost again on Saturday. Six defeats in a row. ‘The worst start any team has made to a Premier League Season,’ say the pundits. ‘It’s embarrassingly easy to beat us,’ say the fans.
One fan said: ‘…We weren’t ready for the season to start. Our shoes don’t fit properly. We got distracted by a squirrel. Grass smells funny. And the big boys are mean to us. Anyway, we’re going home and we’ll try again next time…’
And what else? We have a car with no petrol; local petrol stations have run out of fuel. I’ve just had phones call from two good friends whose physical and mental health is not good this morning. Another friend just said ‘The weather’s terrible!’
What do we do when everything goes wrong?
Some problems we can work hard to put right; some problems will pass; some problems we’re unsure about; some problems are here to stay.
Optimists say if we just wait things will get better; pessimists say that they can’t and won’t. Some say God is in control; some say that no-one’s in control; some just haven’t a clue what’s going on…
There are the excuse-makers, the blamers and complainers, the fighters, the endurers, the escapers, the give-uppers, the blissfully-unawarers, the doom-and-gloomers, the shout-out-louders, the head-in-the-clouders, the praise-the-Lorders, the curse-the-Lorders…
What do we do when everything goes wrong?
This morning I read the ancient prophet Habakkuk. He brought many complaints and questions to his God. Ruthless powerful international tyrants, local treachery, bloodshed and exploitation…
He concludes: ‘Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet will I rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my Saviour.’
What do we do when everything goes wrong? Habakkuk says he will be joy-full in his God…
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