“As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up–one on one side, one on the other–so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” — Exodus 17:9-13

Men tend to be most comfortable when the conversation is light and we do not have to reveal anything “deep” about ourselves. And most men are much more task-oriented than relationship-oriented. We worry so much about getting from Point A to Point B, that we forget to enjoy the journey. Relationships often do not get the priority and attention they deserve.

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! … Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” — Ecclesiastes 4:8-12

It’s encouraging to know that God uses these trials in our lives to build character and to remind us about how much we need Him. I think men, more than women, need these “loving reminders” to keep us from believing that we can do things on our own – without God. Be glad when you go through tough times. Remember that God loves you, and He wants the best for you. He allows us to experience these trials so that He can continue the work in us.

You see, a few weeks ago, my employer decided that they no longer wanted me – no warning; no idea it was coming at all. Now, at 37, I’ve been working for twenty years. I’ve seen others go through this kind of thing, in fact I came close just a few years ago, but I “dodged the bullet” that time. This time, I wasn’t so fortunate.