From the Home Place

September 12, 2025

Everyone knows, when your horse bucks you off, get back on and go again. That is, after you catch him again. Most often if your horse bucks you off, he will then run away and leave you stranded. It may be that many Christians are feeling like their horse bucked them off, and run away.

It’s normal to feel like God has failed us when things go bad in our world. In fact, there are even times that it feels like He has dumped us off and then ran away from us. However, the truth is that we fell off, and He is standing right there waiting for us to get back on.

Romans 5:3-5, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope.” This is the Apostle Paul’s response to getting bucked off.

Please note, “hope” is the final outcome, however there is a very intentional process for getting to “hope.” First, we have to recognize the “tribulation,” the trial – getting bucked off, as a good thing, if we allow the Holy Spirit to help us. In this illustration, the Holy Spirit is that person riding with us, who goes and gathers our horse for us to get back onto.

So, tribulation comes, what we do with it is up to us. I’ve never known a good cowboy who hasn’t been bucked off plenty of times. Trials will happen to each of us, and they will make us better or bitter, our choice.

O.K. back to Romans 5 – After we stay with the process, we prove that our character is developing into the character of Jesus Christ, and now we get to “hope.” In this passage “hope” is a sense of assurance that the Holy Spirit is riding right alongside of us and that He is there to help when life bucks us off.

Yesterday, we looked at the hopelessness of our society. To finish our equation: sin = fear = hatred = hopelessness. Because our culture seems to be very sin focused, they need to see Christians as people of “hope.” Our neighbors need to see and hear that we are a hopeful people! So, now, remember how we become hopeful – through trials that produce a Christ-like character as we get back on again and again.

Through my years of working with horses, there was always that one that I knew was going to try to buck me off sometime during our day of work. Yep, life today seems to be that same way doesn’t it? All we can do is stay attentive and be ready for it when it happens, because if that is the only horse we have in the corral, that is the one we have to ride today.

So, my friend, pull your hat down tight and enjoy the ride. Who knows, today might just be the day that you actually ride the bucking bugger! But if not, be sure to get back on and keep riding, praising God that His process is at work within your life!

Getting back in the saddle with you, Neal