One day at a time

Every fortnight people from a farming background, or who have a heart for the countryside, offer a personal reflection on faith and rural life. They hope that you will be encouraged by it.

At the home farm, we had an area of rough land that we called, the ‘Back Mountain.’

There were no high summits just massive large rocks sticking up out of the ground. Since moving to Rathfriland, I can now see real mountains every day with the Dromara Hills visible from the back of the manse and the higher Mourne Mountains from the front.

The Mourne Moutnains are among the most famous of the mountains on the island of Ireland. The surrounding area is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is proposed as the first National Park in Northern Ireland.The Mourne Moutnains are among the most famous of the mountains on the island of Ireland. The surrounding area is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is proposed as the first National Park in Northern Ireland.
The Mourne Moutnains are among the most famous of the mountains on the island of Ireland. The surrounding area is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is proposed as the first National Park in Northern Ireland.

In life, people often talk about their problems as being as ‘big as mountains’. Sometimes people think their mountain is so big that it just can’t be overcome. Difficulties and hardships are not something new; they have always been with us. Corrie Ten Boom lived in Holland, which is more famous for being flat than having mountains, and helped many Jews escape the Holocaust.

Eventually she was put in a concentration camp where she wrote, “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength - carrying two days at once… it empties today of its strength.” I think that is an important message for all farmers. Each day you are exhausted after a hard day’s work, especially at harvest, or calving time. You need all your energy to get through the work in hand, rather than using it up worrying.

Thousands of years ago the shepherd David had problems, but in Psalm 121 he could see hope in the Maker of the mountains when he wrote in the opening verses, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains — where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Dolly Parton, the well-known country singer, was raised on a small farm in the Tennessee Mountains and often sang a song, ‘One Day at a Time.’ I don’t know what challenges you have had to face in recent months, but the Bible teaches us that it is God who offers to lead us one day at a time. Matthew 6:34 puts it like this, “‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”

We all have our own mountains to climb, and taking things literally, while I live in a place with stunning views of Mournes and Dromara Hills, I have yet to take up mountain walking, or climbing, even though I can see them every day! But if I did, and wanted to go higher, I learnt recently that when you are climbing in the Alps you will know you have conquered the mountain, because you will arrive at a cross on the summit.

Whatever challenge you are facing today, can I encourage you to go to the cross and seek Jesus, who will help you to climb the mountains of life? Rather than being like David, and see God and His offer of hope and strength, I know that many of us are inclined to worry when we see the mountains in front of us, which in many ways is only natural.

When it comes to worry, however, the Apostle Peter sums it up like this, ‘Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you,’ (1 Peter 5:7). With that in mind, it is my prayer that you may let God, who cares for you so deeply, take your problems and allow Him to live His life through you, with Jesus as your Saviour - one day at a time.

Trevor Boyd is the minister of First Rathfriland Presbyterian Church in the rolling County Down countryside.

Married to Barbara, the father of three is an ex-sheep breeder and previously sold animal health products across Northern Ireland.

If you would like to talk to someone about any of the issues raised in this article, please email Rev. Kenny Hanna at [email protected] or call him on 028 9753 1234.