All is Well - Part II

God is in control........Even when it looks like people around us are controlling circumstances that affect us. God is in control.......Even when things appear to be spinning out of control. As a kid, one of my favorite rides at Disneyland was the Autorama. You get to sit in a car and actually control the steering wheel. It is an exhilerating feeling as a young child, to think that you are contolling the direction of the vehicle. In reality, the steering wheel only makes you feel that you are in control because you can move the car, but only a couple of inches right or left. The cars are on a track, and it is the track that controls the overall trajectory of the car. There is very little the "driver" can do to deviate from the prescribed direction. Yes, others can change things here or there by their actions, but God has the ability to keeps things on track, even when someone (human) thinks that they are in control.

All is Well

God is in control..........Do we really believe it? Typically as humans we want everthing to work out well in our lives. But sometimes we mess things up. All the while God is silently working His plan. His plan always works, in spite of our human frailties. He even uses human mistakes, and weaves them along with their consequences, into His plan. God turns something that could have been bad, into something good. When we put our lives and all we do into His hands, we can rest assured that He is in control. I was listening to a song by Robin Mark this past week entitled "All Is Well." I was struck by the power and truth of the words. One line in the song says....'I know not all His plans, but I know I'm in His hands'...'All is well with my soul'....'He is God in control." I think of Jesus asleep in the back of the boat as He and the disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee. A strong storm came upon them suddendly and violently rocked the boat. The disciples thought they were going to capsize. Jesus wasn't worried. He is God in Control. When they frantically woke him, he said, "Why can't you trust me?" (Luke 8:25 MSG) Who do you trust more? God, and his plan?, or your own ability to control the circumstances of life?

Soul Food

God is talking......Are you listening? The question isn't whether God has something to say to us, but whether we are ready and willing to listen. He implores us in Isaiah 55:2,3 "Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear, and come to me; hear me that your soul may live." We desperately need the life-giving words the Lord desires to share with us. Occasionally my wife will be talking to me, when I am engrossed in reading the newspaper or watching TV news. I kind of hear her, and I respond as if I am really listening. Yeah, uh-huh, and so on, well you get the picture. Once recently, she stopped in the middle of this kind of dialogue and said, Did you even hear what I said? I, uh, well, no not really. I am working on this :) Do I want to hear what my wife has to say? The answer is a resounding yes! She is my best friend and the love of my life. The problem is, I get distracted by other things that clamor for my attention. I think at times we "listen" to Jesus with a similar lack of attentiveness. What God says to us is food for the soul. He speaks in a variety of ways: Through the reading of Scripture; Meditating on His Word; During prayer, which should be a two-way conversation; and with a gentle voice of His Holy Spirit, speaking silently into your spirit. Are you taking the time as a regular part of your routine, to set aside the busyness of life, and numerous distractions, to simply listen to God?

Zoom Lens

The zoom lens on my camera lets me view things up close and personal. To get a closer perspective to the object in the photograph I am about to take. What I have discovered is that in order to see a larger image, I have to settle for less background information. Ultimately, which is more important? A closer view, or more background information? The answer, of course, depends upon the purpose of the photo. When my wife and I were visiting Washington D.C. this summer, I would have to make a choice between taking a photo of my wife, with the Washington Monument in the background, or taking a picture of the Washington Monument, with my wife standing in front of it. There really is a difference between the two. My solution was to take two different pictures, with two different perspectives. In life, we often get so focused on a situation we face, or a decision we have to make, that we temporarily leave out the background information. I have found that it is often helpful to zoom out for a while and look at the bigger picture. The context of the situation is much clearer when we look through a wider lens. Context is critical to perspective. Perspective is especially important when we are making a decision that will have an impact on others.

Timing

Timing.......I am continually in awe of how God arranges things to occur at just the right time. His plans are so much better than mine. His provision is never early and it is never late. According to Ecclesiastes 3:11 "He has made everything beautiful in its time." (ESV) If we insist that something we need or desire has to occur within our time frame, we will often be disappointed. Even if it is in God's plan, His timing may not be the same as ours. God knows what will be a blessing and in what time it will bless us the most. We should not hesitate to share the desires of our heart with God, but we should avoid telling Him how (or when) to provide the things that we have asked him for. The scripture reminds us "commit everything you do to the Lord, trust Him, and he will help you." Psalm 37:5 (NLT) If we truly trust His timing, we will be much more satisfied with the outcome.

Disproportionate Anger

Has someone you know ever become really upset about a relatively trivial issue, unloading a tirade of anger and frustration that seem out of proportion with the severity of the matter at hand? In such a situation you begin to wonder, what is the real motivator of this outburst? Chances are, the unleashing of anger and frustration is related to an issue in the past. Let me explain. As humans, people often hold back their frustrations with others and are reluctant to reveal their hurt over minor matters. No attempt is made to resolve the concern. What happens when individuals do that, is that the next time there is a perceived wrong, the stored up pain and frustration begins to multiply. After this frustration has boiled under the surface for a long time, a relatively minor situation occurs, and the individual can no longer hold back. The resulting outburst of anger is disproportionate to the issue because of unresolved hurt . In other words, it is really brought on by anger over something or several things that happened a long time ago. Unfortunately, in the heat of the moment, all the anger and outrage is focused on a more recent singular event. The person who is upset may not even be able to make the connection and articulate that their real frustration has an older source. Over time bitterness has obscured the real problem. In some cases, the person at whom the anger is directed had nothing to do with the original situation.

How can one avoid this type of predicament? Encourage others to be open with you when they have an issue with you, or believe that you have wronged them. Make sure that you invite dialogue when they express a concern. Allow restoration and forgiveness to be the order of the day. Likewise, if you get upset with someone, don't let it boil under the surface. Much of the anger that could come if the situation is not resolved early, is based on wrong assumptions that could be cleared up with a simple conversation. Being honest about your feelings in the beginning, will help you avoid the need to unload a volcano of emotion on those around you. This is a principal that Jesus taught in Matthew 18. Jesus said, "if another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense." (NLT) Following this simple but powerful principal gives opportunities for relationships with others to grow through the resulting forgiveness and restoration.

Hold On

When the events of the day shake you up, don't let them shake you loose. Remember the Source of your hope, and the power of His promise. Hold on to the hope that is in you, and remember that circumstances change from day to day, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Circumstances are unpredictable and life is precarious. What you expect to be the order of the day, may or may not be what actually happens. Often we don't have control over events that unfold around us. However, if you are like me, you may think that you should be able to control what happens. This would be nice, but it isn't reality. Never are we more powerless to control circumstances than when the events that unfold are precipitated by the actions of others. People often do things that I can't begin to understand, and their actions have a profound impact that may alter the reality of my day. I have a choice in how I respond to their actions. I can choose to let their actions ruin my day, or I can choose to remain confident in God's promises and hold on to a hope that is anchored in Him, rather that the circumstances that surround me.