Over the next few weeks (with a break for Harvest, though I hope that will speak to this issue too) I want to address the question of "How to face life's challenges" by looking at the advice of the bible, especially of Jesus. Today I begin where perhaps I ought to end with "when things go wrong." But it seems to me that some people would reply to anything else I might say with, "but it's too late for me to respond positively to life's challenges - life's already gone wrong." Here are a couple of quotations to remind us that for some people life seems a very negative experience.

Joe Schmidt from "A pro football player's view": "Life is a shit sandwich and every day you take another bite."

Tom Stoppard from "Rosencrantz & Guilderstern are dead" (1967): "Life is a gamble at terrible odds - if it was a bet, you wouldn't take it."

Most of us here have also had times when everything has seemed to go wrong, and knowing how to handle such times seems to me a key skill, so I hope you will bear with me as we consider "How to face life's challenges - when things go wrong."

1. Recognise that life has its downs as well as its ups. The bible is very balanced about this matter. Think of Job, who lost all his wealth in a string of accidents and then was stuck down with illness - there's a whole book of his experience & reflections on it. Remember David, who rose from shepherd lad to king, but spent years as an outlaw on the way, and whose own son tried to oust him from the throne - there are two books of his life, as well as his heartfelt outpourings in the Psalms. Consider St Paul, who suffered persecution and deprivation for his vision of sharing the Christian message with everyone - shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonments, and plenty more - the New Testament is built on his experiences. Above all remember Jesus, who, despite living for others and giving us the best teachings the world has heard, was rejected by everyone and hung on a cross. He warned those who want to follow him that it will not be easy, that Christianity is not a guarantee of an easy life. Sin and its consequences bring suffering into this world and our lives - we cannot expect to remain untouched by this. St Paul reflects: "Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out." (1 Corinthians 10:13 - GNB) There is hope, but we must be realistic in expecting that life will have times when it goes wrong, people let us down, even God seems absent.

2. Share with others. Some people think it's a virtue to suffer in silence, but that's not the way the bible sees things. Bible people talk honestly to God about what's going on in their lives. I think of: Hezekiah reading to God a letter of challenge from a threatening enemy, Jeremiah pouring out to God his frustrations and pain, Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane sweating drops like blood as he wrestles with his conscience before his death. Perhaps the psalms offer the best examples, such as (Psalm 13:1-2) "How much longer will you forget me, Lord? For ever? How much longer will you hide yourself from me? How long must I endure trouble? How long will sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me?" Pages of people unburdening themselves to God, and testifying to how it helped them. (Psalms 13:5-6) "I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me. I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me." The bible's advice is: "Leave all your worries with him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

Scripture also encourages to share our problems with each other. Paul writes: "Help to carry one another's burdens, and in this way you will obey the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2) We are meant to care for and support each other, but we can only do so if we are honest & open with each other. It's not easy to share what hurts, and it would be inappropriate to do so with everyone, but we should each have some Christian friend with to we can open our hearts - that's how God's designed us. Join a small group where you can get to know others and find a soul friend if you do not have one yet. Jesus did that with his disciple John, it seems; Paul shared his heart with Timothy.

3. Trust God & learn from what's gone wrong. God is, alleluia, in the business of bringing good out of every situation. "We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him..." (Romans 8:28) Most of you have heard me quote that verse often, because I believe it is a key to handling life's challenges. Things cannot go wrong in a way which God cannot turn to good! But do we know that & believe it? Instead of spending all our time lamenting or misfortunes, let's co-operate with God in seeing them turned to good.

• Don't stay in a pit of despair, guilt or blame of self or others
• Ask if you have done wrong - if so, repent, then move on
• Thank God that he has allowed this to happen for your good
• Consider whether there's a lesson to be learned for the future
• Prayerfully ask God to turn things to the best for all concerned.

4. Pray about the situation. I expect you've read the bumper sticker which says, "Life is fragile - handle with prayer!" Ask God to show you what to do next - who to talk to, apologise to, ask forgiveness of, what action you can take helpfully. Ask God to intervene and work things together for good. Pray for the Holy Spirit's help & inspiration. Keep holding things before God, asking that his will be done.

5. Remember God loves you! So I come to the message of today's readings. Jesus said he came for the sake of those whose lives have gone wrong - sinners like you and me. When you & I make a mess of things Jesus is there with us ready to help us admit our failures, pick up the pieces, and move on. We are the lost sheep, the lost coin & heaven rejoices when we turn back to God, who loves us more deeply than we can know, even if he seems far away. That was St Paul's experience, which he shared with Timothy. He knew he had made the worst possible mess of his life, but God was merciful, and poured out on him his abundant grace (= undeserved love). He sums up the Christian message thus: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1Timothy 1v16) We heard people accuse Jesus: "This man welcomes outcasts and even eats with them!", to which Jesus replied, "too right!" "Friend of sinners" - that's my favourite title for Jesus in the bible, because that's the Saviour I need, one who's always there for me when things go wrong. Jesus shows us that we are never beyond the reach of God's love & forgiveness, no matter how wrong things go. Alleluia! So when things go wrong, let's learn to lift our eyes to Jesus, who wants to encourage us and to turn things to good in our lives. If we learn to look to him we will often get s fresh perspective on our circumstances.

We'll look at how to avoid getting things wrong, how to face life's challenges for good over coming weeks, but let's always remember that when things go wrong Jesus is there for us with God's unfailing love & mercy. That's the good news we need to take on board & share with others.

Stephen Coffin