We’ve all heard the saying that there’s power in the tongue, yet many of us, myself included, are often guilty of using our tongues in ways we shouldn’t. I often find myself speaking too quickly and regretting what follows. It’s been a rough couple of days for me; it seemed as if so much was going wrong that I expected each moment thereafter to follow suit. I found myself making remarks such as “what did I do to have all of this happen to me,” “when it rains it pours,” and “it’s always something.”
Although a lot happened, my thoughts and emotions only allowed me to stay focused on the negative, instead of remembering that I didn’t just stay there. Why do we do that? How is it that we get so caught up in what has happened instead of placing our attention on how God helped us through it? This is where I always find myself falling short with my gratitude towards God. Over the last couple of days, I felt overwhelmed with all that has happened, but reflecting back, I only made it through because of His grace.
I would be dishonest if I said that I always show appreciation for the small things when everything seems to be going wrong, because I don’t. I wouldn’t consider myself a negative person, but I can say that expecting the worst so I am not hurt “if” things go wrong is a terrible and unhealthy way of living. God doesn’t want us to be weary or have anxiety when life becomes what feels like unbearable. Psalms 28:7 says, “the lord is my strength and my shield,” meaning that He will help us get through and protect us as long as we allow Him to.
That’s the thing about God: when He is fighting for, protecting, and giving us grace, and we don’t recognize or appreciate it, He doesn’t go and say, “wow, no matter what I do they don’t care,” because His focus isn’t on this world but yet what the Lord has for us in heaven. Somehow we tend to place so much focus on the earthly that we forget that certain things must happen, whether for testing, obedience, or protection from our Father who sees everything. We begin to internalize it as a personal attack when it shouldn’t be, but rather a tactic that the enemy uses to take our focus off of Christ.
So what’s there to do? Simply change our perspective. We should have a joyous heart. Instead of focusing on what is happening, we need to start asking ourselves what we can take away from it and move on. Becoming bitter about our situation doesn’t change it, which means we are giving it unnecessary energy. We need to focus on the takeaway and spend time with God to see what it is that we need to learn from such events. The past is the past; don’t get stuck there!
We may not understand why certain things happen at the timing that they happen, but we have to trust that all things will work out. It’s not an easy task, especially because we are imperfect people, but it’s a good step in the right direction to become fully reliant on God and His plan. So when you get stuck at a light, can’t find your phone, encounter a rude person, catch a flat tire, or find yourself at odds with someone, instead of getting wrapped up in the frustration behind it, bring it to Christ and trust in the peace that He will provide.