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.