A Rambling

Please be encouraged.

No matter what we do, there will be difficulties in our lives. There is no millimeter-wide line that if walked will result in a pain-free, trouble-less life.

Of course, there are consequences to sin and bad decisions. God certainly allows us to experience them, but even with careful, thoughtful living there will be trials. That's not a failure on our part. It's just...life.

Jesus didn't say, "Come follow Me and if you do everything just right then you will have a pain-free life."

On the contrary, He promised, "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows, but take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16:33

For a long time, I subconsciously assumed that God wanted me to figure everything out, then do everything perfectly and the result would be that I would glorify Him flawlessly, that no one would ever think ill of me (or of Him because of me) and that all my relationships would be marked by complete trust and understanding.

I know that all of that is impossible now. I can't control what others think of me and I often times have no idea what "the right" thing to do even is.

(Sometimes I know I need to do something because God has clearly stated so in scripture and even though it's difficult to go through with it, there's such a sense of peace in the midst of the discomfort because I have confidence in my actions.

Other times, I face situations on which scripture is silent and although I can apply general principles, there is no definite answer as to what is "the right" thing to do. I'm just now learning to have peace in those situations. God knows my intentions and my limitations. That's what is truly important, not me somehow figuring things out and executing them perfectly.)

I was talking with a lovely young woman recently who is dealing with overwhelming anxiety. After listening to her for awhile, I began to think that her anguish was caused not by the turmoil itself but by the underlying and incorrect notion that she could control and fix all the upheaval in her life if she said and did the exactly right things. Although it's noble of her to want to "do right", I hope she understood when I told her that she's not in control and no matter what she does, her life will still have a lot of turmoil.

I realize that that doesn't sound helpful and encouraging at first, but if you think about it a little while, it's actually quite freeing.

I can't fix everything. It's not up to me.

So am I suggesting that it's of no value to live prudently? Certainly not. Scripture extols careful and wise living.

However, I am suggesting that we can't look at prudence as a passport to a trouble-free life. When we find ourselves in the midst of upheaval we oughtn't assume that we took a horribly wrong turn somewhere.

I'm learning to obey God in the clear directives He has given and to be transformed and comforted by His grace when I fail, trusting in His promise that He has overcome the world.