Your life ever get shaken up? Job loss? Financial challenges? Illness? Loss? How do you respond?
I typically go through stages when things like these happen. The first stage is usually some form of shock. I am taken aback. I am momentarily numbed. Then I will either become puzzled or some level of angry. Puzzled as to why the thing has happened and further what I did to cause it or what could I have done to avoid it. Anger usually follows or is a part of the puzzled phase. The level of anger varies. I am not clear on what impacts how angry I get, I have an idea – but more on that later.
The next phases – as a matter of fact none of the phases are necessarily linear. There will be some form of planning or thinking through how to deal with the disruption. Then I will begin to work on that plan. At some point I remember…
The remember phase is the most important. What I remember is that this disruption was not a surprise to God. Matter of fact, based on what I understand from Scripture, He ordained it. I am not always really happy with His choices or methods, but I am convinced that He has my best interests in mind. He had committed to conform me to the image of His son. That process is not consistently pleasant. However it is intentional and good. Hebrews 12:4 – 17 tells me that He brings these disruptions, trials into my life so I can share His holiness.
The quicker I remember the better. The quicker I remember the less likely I am to get angry, or at least the anger subsides quicker. The quicker I remember the less likely I am to start trying to fix the situation with one of my plans rather than going to God and finding out what He is doing. Earlier I said I had a theory on what impacts my anger, it is how quick I remember that God is sovereign over all of life’s disruptions. I find I remember that quicker when I am abiding in His Word as He commanded.
I typically go through stages when things like these happen. The first stage is usually some form of shock. I am taken aback. I am momentarily numbed. Then I will either become puzzled or some level of angry. Puzzled as to why the thing has happened and further what I did to cause it or what could I have done to avoid it. Anger usually follows or is a part of the puzzled phase. The level of anger varies. I am not clear on what impacts how angry I get, I have an idea – but more on that later.
The remember phase is the most important. What I remember is that this disruption was not a surprise to God. Matter of fact, based on what I understand from Scripture, He ordained it. I am not always really happy with His choices or methods, but I am convinced that He has my best interests in mind. He had committed to conform me to the image of His son. That process is not consistently pleasant. However it is intentional and good. Hebrews 12:4 – 17 tells me that He brings these disruptions, trials into my life so I can share His holiness.
The quicker I remember the better. The quicker I remember the less likely I am to get angry, or at least the anger subsides quicker. The quicker I remember the less likely I am to start trying to fix the situation with one of my plans rather than going to God and finding out what He is doing. Earlier I said I had a theory on what impacts my anger, it is how quick I remember that God is sovereign over all of life’s disruptions. I find I remember that quicker when I am abiding in His Word as He commanded.
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