Reacting To Whatever

by HJS

What happens to you may be beyond your control, but how you respond to trouble is entirely your call. Though I don't believe in "luck," there are certain things that happen because we are living in an imperfect, broken world.

Nobody likes to have his life disrupted by what some call "bad luck." But I am more concerned about my ability to cope and my attitude and feelings in tough times than I am in preserving myself from bad things that happen. 

When difficulty knocks at my door, I am always reminded that God promises to be with me in times of trouble, not necessarily to keep me from all difficulty. I try to remind myself that God's grace is sufficient and that His strength is made perfect or complete through my weakness. I also strive to remember that we don't have to see everything, understand everything and know everything, provided we are following the Shepherd of our souls.

There are times when I force my mind to concentrate on God who is greater than anything I will ever face. I go back and read about Daniel in the lion's den, Joseph falsely accused in prison, Esther risking her life for her people and Paul's tribulations and troubles. I read Psalm 23 and 2 Corinthians 4 where Paul talked about being "hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed" (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Not knowing the last chapter, we have to trust God for it and wait, realizing that God is good and we can trust Him.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.  GENESIS 50:20