Well...I made it back from the low country hunt in one piece - well, almost. We were hog huntin' in the swamps off the Pee Dee River in the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge absolutely removed from civilization. It was all that I hoped it would be and nothing I thought it would be. I prepared for cold weather and it turned out to be hot. I prepared for dry weather and turned out rainy. I prepared for about six hours sleep each night and got only three or four. I prepared for success and shot no hog. All in all I had a blast!
Even though nothing I prepared for happened, I still enjoyed myself. When I left off last time, I was sharing that Christian people should prepare to forgive and receive forgiveness. Just like the hunt, though, you may or may not realize all that you had hoped to realize in living the prepared life. You may find the results of your preparation rewarding and satisfying on the personal side, but unappreciated, unwanted or resisted on another's side. Regardless of how another responds to our forgiveness, we should forgive. Even though I didn't get to bag the trophy boar I had hoped to bag and even though I had a lot items I really didn't need, I still had a wonderful time. Such is the case for those who desire to live for Christ. We might not get everything we want, but we can have a wonderful time because of the hope of our salvation.