Downstairs in our house there is an empty cage. Actually there are now 2 empty cages in our basement. You see in November of last year we had to put two of our bunnies down, Stewart and Goliath, because of old age and health issues. That was expected but recently our other beloved bunny, Daisy Boy, past away suddenly from something affecting his breathing. We are heart broken because of his passing. We loved those bunnies. Some folks understand while others who aren't pet owners were less sympathetic to our loss. Unfortunately life does come with its good times and its bad. The question we need to answer is how do we deal with those times when they come whether good or bad.
We have lost other bunnies over the years all due to age and health issues from old age. We never liked to have to take them to the vet but we loved them too much to make them suffer. But the loss of our bunnies is only a small portion of pain that has come or will come to us in our lives. We do mourn their loss but life continues and we end up with new bunnies for pets as we will again. We have lost loved ones such as my mother and her grandparents. We have faced other things that could make us want to be bitter at God and others if we chose to do so. We also have the choice to allow God to use these difficult times to shape us and makes us more into the image of Christ. I am reminded that diamonds are nothing more than coal but look at the price difference between a diamond and a lump of coal. What is the difference? Simple. The diamond is a piece of coal that has been exposed to a lot of pressure. We are diamonds in the rough when it comes to our spiritual life. It is the trials we face that God uses to change and transform us. Our faith will only grow when it is tested. The more it is tested the stronger it becomes. Only people who refuse to face reality think life is free of pain and is nothing bad ever happens. If that were only true! But we all know that it isn't and we will all deal with hurt and pain. We are told that mourning comes in the dark but joy comes in the morning. So as we are facing these times of difficulty we are assured that we will overcome if we are in Christ and we remain there. We are the ones who must decide if we are going to be bitter or better because of our trials. We make the choice.
As we think about our poor bunnies that we have lost, we remind ourselves of the great times we had with them. We are going to a bunny show next week to look for new bunnies. We miss having a bunny or two running around the basement and chasing them when it is time for bed to get them in their cages. So as life continues we will always be reminded of the time we had with all of them. But even more importantly, we look forward to the time we are in Heaven with all our loved ones who went on before us. As the old hymn goes, "It will be worth it all" !
