When Life Makes You Wonder

We all experience times of disappointment, whether it is not getting the job you really wanted or breaking up with that person you just knew was The One. 1 Peter 4:12 says, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." In other words, we shouldn't be surprised by times of disappointment. People fail. We have to choose how we respond to tough times.

(A) We can retreat. When people fail us, it's easy to just say, "Well, I couldn't count on that person at that time, so I just WON'T count on them anymore." It's happened to all of us. I've been on both sides of it. Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

Choice B isn't any better.

(B) We can get revenge. Whether it's revenge on God, or revenge on someone else, it violates the law of love--God's command to love our enemies and to forgive. We forget that we don't need to get revenge because God will have his wrath. In Romans 12:19, we find a direct quote from all the way back in Deuteronomy, where God says, ""It is mine to avenge; I will repay." I don't know about you, but I'm all for letting God to the work.

The third option is the BEST!

(C) We can experience renewal. This is the best part because when we choose this option, we get BETTER instead of getting BITTER! Listen to what James 1:2-4 has to say: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." I can't even think of anything to add to this because it says it all.

So what do we need to do to overcome the trials and experience renewal? First we need to focus on others. Notice I didn't say "should" or "can choose to." Do me a favor really fast. Put your left finger in the air about 6 inches from your face. Now put your right finger in the air about 12 inches in front of your face. Now try to focus on both of them at the same time. Can't do it, can you? Our eyes can only focus on one finger at a time.

Our lives can only focus on one person at a time. Here's an example. I absolutely HATE (with a passion) spelunking. That would be caving. But not any type of caving...this is wearing helmets and pads and army-crawling while ducking bats caving. If I have to go caving with staff, I completely freak out and don't make it past a room in the cave called the Kitchen. Lemon Squeeze? Forget it. But I've noticed that when I'm with campers and helping them through, I'm too busy concentrating on getting them to the back of the cave to realize what I'm doing. Suddenly I'm at the back of the cave. The focus isn't on me or my trials.

The second thing we need to do is look at trials as opportunities. Let's see a beginning instead of an ending. I can't name the number of trials I've had in the last year that have turned out to be opportunities for something even more awesome. I won't go into more detail because many of them are very personal. But find the opportunity. And remember what Maria says in The Sound of Music, "Whenever God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window."

The final thing we need to do is rest in God's timing and purpose. Notice again I don't say "should" or "can choose to." My timing is nothing, but God's timing is everything. No matter how much we beg or bargain with God for him to do it in our time, He always does it in HIS time. But his timing is always perfect. But go back to that first sentence of this paragraph again. There is a really important key word, and that is "rest." God wants us to sit back and relax in our inner tubes on the river of life and just go with the flow. How cool is that? We don't have to do any of the work!

So what are you going to choose the next time you're experiencing trials?