When the things of life don't go our way....

If you been around for any period of time, you know and understand that things don't always go the way we want them to. Life brings struggles, hardships, conflicts, and situations that we don't want. We cannot change this. We don't control what life brings us. But we can control how we respond to the situations....and that's what really counts. How do we choose to respond to the circumstances? So many times, when things don't go my way, I respond selfishly and in anger. I want to complain, pout, and blame people. I want to think negatively about it. BUT, this is not the way that I should respond. I, as a follower of Christ, need to respond to situations in a Christlike manner. I need to view the hardship/conflict/situation through Biblical lens. I need to think about the circumstance positively. I need to remember that God was the One that gave me this situation. He is the One that orchestrates all the affairs of men. He has a purpose for it and even though it looks like nothing good could come out of the situation, ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD! I need to trust Him and know that His ways are far above my ways. I need to choose to look to Him and choose to praise Him.

Right now my family is going through a really tough situation. As I look at the situation through human eyes, I think that the situation is impossible to fix! But God is able!!!! With Him all things are possible! He can change hearts and heal hurts! He is in control! And so, I cry out to Him for help, comfort, strength, and wisdom. And if it is not His will to fix the situation as I would like, I will still love Him. Even though I can see nothing good that can come out of this situation, I will still trust His Word that He does work all things together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to His purposes. God's ways are always higher and better than mine. He is sovereign over all the affairs of men. He is still in control and I praise Him for that. What a great God I serve!

So, when you find yourself in a situation that you don't like, look to Jesus! He has a purpose for all events in life. Make a conscious choice to think positively and to praise God no matter what. Choose to do what is right and to respond to whatever situation in a Christlike manner. Even when your world seems to be falling apart, remember that it's all apart of Christ purpose for your life - to conform you to more to His image. God is in control and He understands the situation better then you do. Go to Him for comfort in the midst of distress, for peace in the midst of conflict, for direction in the midst of confusion, for joy in the midst of heartache, for strength in the midst of weakness, for hope in the midst of despair. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength," Isaiah 26:3-4. Ultimately, God uses hardships and un-liked situations to bring us closer to Himself, to show us that He's in control and that we can trust Him. This is one of the things that the Lord has been teaching me as I walk through a hard time - this is some of the good that has come from it. I'm so glad that I belong to the One who cares for me and will use every event in my life to conform me more into His image. I need to do my part and respond to these situations in a way that honors Him and always be looking for the good that comes from it.

Let's get our eyes off our circumstances and get them on to the One who orchestrates them. When we do, we will experience the blessings of having the peace and joy of God which we otherwise would have missed.