St. Paul says to "Rejoice always." Practicing this discipline has gotten me many concerned looks because it seems just plain crazy. But it has proven to help me keep my perspective and been a big time saver. I waste less time being upset about challenges and freer to be open to solutions, waste less energy on fear and am freer to be hopeful, and I get better at forgoing my "fix it" perspective so I get more quickly to the part where I just let God take the lead.
But this is not easy, even though it has been a long-time habit. It is easier to do when I am facing a challenge myself rather than when someone I love is distressed. I still struggle with the idea that trusting God is somehow being non-supportive. If I love you and you are upset I feel such a strong urge to join you in your distressed state. But time and again I experience this truth: things go better all around when I focus on calmly praying and loving and journeying with my distressed beloved one. I have come to suspect this is at least partly because I am a bit of a drama queen and like the adrenaline...but that makes it about me instead of the person I love, and certainly not about God.
You see, God has never let me down. Oh, God has certainly felt no urgency in trying to make me understand all the parts of God's plan. I am, in fact, not able to understand the mind of God nor able to come up with the wisdom and strength and power of God nor even fully understand the scope of the challenges I face nor the unlimited resources that God provides for my highest good.
Ultimately that is why I can rejoice even when the going gets tough: I am not in this alone and I am not stuck with only human, limited capacities and ideas. I have the full force and power of Almighty God working in my best interest, even when I'm not being very wise or loving or cooperative. Yet God always waits for me to quit demanding my own silly ways; and when I return my focus to God, God has never abandoned me even for a moment and I always find God's ways so much better than my own.
But I am beginning to suspect it will take a lifetime of practice (and the persistent instruction by the Spirit of God) to make rejoicing always my "go to" response!
Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing love, tender care of and perfect plan for me. You are always faithful. AMEN
Rejoice always. Thessalonians 5:15
But this is not easy, even though it has been a long-time habit. It is easier to do when I am facing a challenge myself rather than when someone I love is distressed. I still struggle with the idea that trusting God is somehow being non-supportive. If I love you and you are upset I feel such a strong urge to join you in your distressed state. But time and again I experience this truth: things go better all around when I focus on calmly praying and loving and journeying with my distressed beloved one. I have come to suspect this is at least partly because I am a bit of a drama queen and like the adrenaline...but that makes it about me instead of the person I love, and certainly not about God.
You see, God has never let me down. Oh, God has certainly felt no urgency in trying to make me understand all the parts of God's plan. I am, in fact, not able to understand the mind of God nor able to come up with the wisdom and strength and power of God nor even fully understand the scope of the challenges I face nor the unlimited resources that God provides for my highest good.
Ultimately that is why I can rejoice even when the going gets tough: I am not in this alone and I am not stuck with only human, limited capacities and ideas. I have the full force and power of Almighty God working in my best interest, even when I'm not being very wise or loving or cooperative. Yet God always waits for me to quit demanding my own silly ways; and when I return my focus to God, God has never abandoned me even for a moment and I always find God's ways so much better than my own.
But I am beginning to suspect it will take a lifetime of practice (and the persistent instruction by the Spirit of God) to make rejoicing always my "go to" response!
Abba Father, thank You for Your unfailing love, tender care of and perfect plan for me. You are always faithful. AMEN
Rejoice always. Thessalonians 5:15
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