Tough Stuff:
Some time ago when I was a much younger man, I was invited to a meal at a friend’s home. My friends, an older couple, did things in a most prim and proper manner.
On this occasion they had prepared roast beef with all the trimmings.
This was fine dining for me in those days. My hosts had extended themselves particularly for me that day. And I felt very blessed to be their guest.
As I was leisurely eating this fine meal, munching through the main course, I bit into a piece of meat that seemed impossible to manoeuvre in my mouth.
I tried to break it down, chewing as carefully and forcefully as I could. But to no avail. The more I chewed and gnawed at this piece of meat, the tougher it seemed to become and the more my jaw ached. My teeth were hurting too!
What a dilemma!
This gruelling experience lasted only for a few minutes, but it seemed, at the time, never ending.
Finally, I had to accept the fact that I could not manipulate that piece of meat no matter what I did, no matter how hard I tried. Yes, I had to surrender to a piece of roast beef that I simply could not master.
Have you ever had similar experiences?
What started out to be an easy conquest, developed into something that seemed to have not an ideal ending.
Anyway, by discreetly placing my mouth-full of meat into a napkin and quickly wiping my mouth, face was saved for me and for the hosts.
Sometimes, we just have to determine which way will serve all those involved best and hurt us least. That’s the route I took.
Most of us have had similar experiences throughout life.
Sometimes things feel unjust, unfair. That’s the way life is.
Perhaps, in certain cases, it’s hard not to question life’s fairness.
But, once again, God has the whole picture!
And the wonderful consolation in any situation is the fact that God knows all things. He sees the big picture.
Even when we feel He is not in the picture there at the time, He knows exactly how and why things happen as they do.
Another more recent example of such an incident is when Rachel and I acted [in a manner we felt was very befitting] to a situation that did not have the results we hoped for.
We felt our input was the only honourable, and fair way to respond to a particular setting.
We thought we were being helpful, never dreaming our actions could have an undesired effect that would end up making us feel incompetent – and fail to bring about the desired effect to those whom we attempted to help.
Anyhow, our response to their situation turned out to be completely useless.
Of course, this causes us, who want to help and have all good intentions, to be dismayed, humiliated, and feeling as if we failed in our endeavour.
This hurts everyone.
As a result, Rachel and I began to chew over the circumstances. Back and forth we went, trying to make sense of what had happened.
But later; when watching a Christian broadcast on the television, we heard these words:
“If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate, because worry is meditating on the things you cannot change!”
But, oh, what a consolation when we realize God knows the story from beginning to end. And He understands.
Our faith in Him and faith in ourselves through Him helps us know that things don’t always turn out as we (humans that we are) expect them to.
As human beings, we must remind ourselves always to relax and trust Him and be glad that He has the whole picture.
Therefore, Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.
Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.
It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Philippians 4:
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