From Jackpot Dreams to Spiritual Riches: Why Losing Can Be a Blessing in Disguise
Photo and Story by Ken Hulsey
Terri labeled this photo 'On The Road to Vegas', a road that I have traveled down numerous times. On the road towards Las Vegas, your mind is preoccupied with thoughts of winning a jackpot at a slot machine or game table. There is an optimism that somehow Lady Luck is going to shine her grace upon you, and all your financial worries will be over. Since you are about to become rich, you can't help but fantasize about how big a house you are going to buy and what it would be like to dive into a huge pool of gold coins like Scrooge McDuck.
That's the road in.
The road back is a bit different because you are broke and have a belly full of cheap buffet. (Sadly, the days of $5 all-you-can-eat prime rib are long gone.) You had a good time, and ate well, but the reality is starting to set in that you will have to go back to work in the morning.
So much for that solid gold toilet.
I used to really hold on to the belief that one day I would walk into Caesar's Palace and pull the lever of a slot machine, and gold coins would pour out on the floor like a skit in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. The idea is ridiculous, of course, but I liked to fantasize about it anyway.
That was then, but this is now.
Looking back, I often wonder why I never won big in Vegas. It's a question that can drive you a little crazy if you let it. Luckily for me, I know the answer. If I had broken the bank at Caesar's, I would have never learned to trust in Jesus for my prosperity. It sounds like a very simplistic answer, but it's true.
Over the past few years, the Lord has taught me a great deal about blessings and being grateful for them. The reason He didn't provide me with an Olympic-size pool of gold was that He knew I wasn't mature enough to handle it. I actually shudder to think of the carnage this cowboy would have caused if I had heaping handfuls of cash on hand. Most people would cut off their thumbs to have a chance to live like Robert DeNiro. To them, it would be heaven on Earth, or at least they think it would be.
I now have the Godly wisdom to know that it would be a nightmare.
Have you ever meditated on Christ's words - "Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” -Matthew 19:21-24
I understand that if I were a rich man, my money would become my god. Furthermore, there is a very good chance that I would be tricked into thinking that I had no need for Jesus simply because all of my needs were being fulfilled by my wealth and not by Him. I know that's not the actual case, because I have never been wealthy, and I have learned over time to trust in Jesus to provide for my needs.
Related: Overcoming Fear: How Tithing Transformed My Finances and Strengthened My Relationship with God
If you are reading this, you are probably not a wealthy person, and I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that, in this present economy, you are experiencing some financial difficulties.
We all are.
It would be tempting to go to a casino to pursue some financial stability through gambling. I tried that a few times. Always remember, my friends, that those games of chance always favor the house. That's why they can provide you free drinks and $5 beef dinners. That's not the road to peace and happiness, however.
I know that I have been rambling a bit, but I want you to understand that there is a real road out there that leads to a better life. Having a personal relationship with Jesus has changed my life for the better. Money can't buy you true happiness. That comes from letting Jesus come into your life. Salvation doesn't cost you anything. All you have to do is believe that He died for your sins and rose on the third day.
I challenge you to think about that today.
There is a chance that you could come out a winner!
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