|
|
|
|
"Ready or Not"
By: Zach Wood
Job 3:23-26
 "Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? For sighing comes to me instead of food; my groans pour out like water. What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil."
I've often heard the saying, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it." In this life we live, there are some things that happen to us and we have absolutely NO control over them. Events, tragedies, deaths, sickness, disappointments, car accidents, isolation and broken hearts are just some of the things that come our way. Many times, we never see these unpleasant visits coming. Not to say that when we do see them coming, they're easier to deal with, but in the end, all bring pain.
I was just thinking of Job and the pain he went through. He didn't expect it to come and had no clue as to why God was allowing the sores to appear all over his body, but it happened and there was nothing he could do about it except for how he reacted to it. The key word here is "REACT". Our reaction is totally under our control. What happens to us is just going to happen. But, our reaction is always under the control of how we choose to respond.
You may be experiencing pain right now through a break-up, sickness, death of a family member or close friend, job loss or unknown path ahead in your future. Just this past weekend, I was on a trip with the youth group from my church to Johnson Bible College in Knoxville, TN for a Spring Retreat. I was coming down the stairs one evening and felt like a cold was trying to come over me. I thought it would "hit me" the next morning. I didn't know and wouldn't know. Just had to wait and see. It occurred to me right then and there about how so many of the things that happen to us, we just cannot avoid. Sudden events or tragedies just seem to hit when we least expect them. I'm sure that's the way Job felt.
Is your heart sore and covered with blisters? Is your mind pounding with confusion? Are your feet aching from the endless miles you travel to find peace and fulfillment? You may be wondering where God is in all of your pain and despair. You have waited and waited and  waited.......yet nothing is happening.
Remember, God doesn't ask you to understand the pain and confusion. He asks and commands you to trust Him. Clarity is not in view quite yet, but at the right time, the fog will clear and a beautiful view will appear before your eyes revealing what He has been keeping you in wait for. We must concentrate on how we respond to situations we find ourselves in. How do we react and treat others?
 We need to concentrate on the 90%(reaction) and just accept the 10%(life). |
|
|
|
|
Design Copyright 2002-2003 IntuiSite.
All Rights Reserved. Powered by IntuiSite.
|