Saturday, August 23, 2008

Not "What" But "How"

A friend said something so smart and direct that I had to write it down. When she or someone in her family is going through a tough time, she says, "You're gonna go through this. Are you gonna go through crabby and angry, or in a way that honors God and those around you?" We don't always get to choose our circumstances, but we can always choose how we are going to handle things.

I have been known to irritate people, mostly my older children, by suggesting they look for the positive in any situation. I have been around long enough to know that no situation lasts forever and that eventually most things work out. Sometimes things seem really dark and scary, but I try to remember everything I know about God. He loves me. All things work to glorify Him. All good things come from above. Even, consider my servant, Job. When I walk through the fire He will be with me. Sometimes He allows us to be tested and tried to see how we handle it. Do we turn to Him and accept the mercy He sends our way? Or do we shut out the world, assume God changed His mind about us, and stew?

1 Peter 1:6-8 encourages me: "In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith-being more precious than gold, that, though perishable, is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." If you are in a tough spot, rise up, my friend.

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