Weekly Words - Week of September 6

Bear Meat Fried in Bear Grease
Sandra Aldrich, Author & Speaker

Have you ever accepted an assignment you later regretted? I did. I remember the bookstore job at my favorite Bible conference. I anticipated a summer of joyful ministry. Instead, I was surprised to learn even Christians can be impatient and rude. I was committed until August 31, but I started counting the days until I could go home. Still 28 more to go. Four more weeks of drudgery.

Early one morning, I hugged my Bible and spoke aloud, “Lord, You know how miserable I am. What do I do now?”

I steadied myself for the expected reminder “all things work together for good” from Romans 8:28. Instead, the phrase “bear meat” popped into my head.

Bear meat? Where did that come from? Then I remembered the story a long-ago Sunday school teacher had told my class: “An old trapper, snowbound in his cabin, couldn’t get fresh supplies. For days, he ate nothing but bear meat fried in bear grease. Finally, he asked the Lord to give him something he could really enjoy. Know what the Lord gave him? Bear meat fried in bear grease!”

Even though I wasn’t ready to shout, “I love it here!” I did smile. And I decided I had no choice but to work on my attitude.

First, I asked the Lord to help me be grateful for what I could and to give me the strength to ignore the rest. I started by making a game out of smiling at rude customers. Then I looked for something each day for which I could be thankful.

Sometimes those thankful moments came through conversations with a speaker I admired. But most often they came through simple joys I had previously ignored. Suddenly even watching the progress of a neighbor’s garden on my way to work brought happiness.

Gradually, the 28 days passed. Yes, I was thrilled when the assignment was over, but I was also wiser. I finally had realized that even when we must wade through disappointment and drudgery, the Lord is with us. And he can take the tedium of ‘bear meat” and turn it into a feast—if we will let him.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. Philippians 4:11

Lord, I confess I want what I want. Help me rejoice in what I have. And help me look for things for which I can be thankful despite the circumstances.

(Additional devotions by Sandra P. Aldrich may be found in the One-Year Women’s Friendship Devotional.) Archives

Date	Title
Aug 30 - Sep 6	Safety in Obedience
Aug 23 - Aug 30	With God, Nothing is Impossible
Aug 16 - Aug 23	Have You Lost Weight?
Aug 9 - Aug 16	Influence Flows from Identity
Aug 2 - Aug 9	Our Words Create Our Worlds
Jul 26 - Aug 2	Lord, Help Me
Jul 19 - Jul 26	I Didn’t Know I Could Get Here From There
Jul 12 - Jul 19	Storms of Life
Jul 5 - Jul 12	Does It Add Value?
Jun 28 - Jul 5	We Could Pray
Jun 21 - Jun 28	I Can’t Believe You Gave Away Your Water!
Jun 14 - Jun 21	Oh How He Loves Us!
Jun 7 - Jun 14	Building a Community
May 31 - Jun 7	God's Time
May 24 - May 31	Heart Condition
May 17 - May 24	With God, Nothing is Impossible
May 10 - May 17	Imposter!
May 3 - May 10	Power of Prayer – Prayers from a Heart of Love
Apr 26 - May 3	I’ll Go Where You Send Me
Apr 19 - Apr 26	Flip the Script
Apr 12 - Apr 19	I Want To Be Where You Are
Apr 5 - Apr 12	Flowers in the Garden of Work
Mar 29 - Apr 5	Light
Mar 22 - Mar 29	Stop the Pretense
Mar 15 - Mar 22	I am the one and you are too!
Mar 8 - Mar 15	God’s Grace
Mar 1 - Mar 8	God’s Purpose
Feb 22 - Mar 1	What if?
Feb 15 - Feb 22	Spiritual Reminders
Feb 8 - Feb 15	Prayers From a Heart of Love
Feb 1 - Feb 8	Why did you wait so long?
Jan 25 - Feb 1	Scriptural Blueprints
Jan 18 - Jan 25	Kindness and Compassion in the Workplace
Jan 11 - Jan 18	Biblical Prescription
Jan 4 - Jan 11	Real Encouragement in the Workplace

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