Perspective

There are days for all of us when we feel sorry for our lot in life...we feel sorry for ourselves. We see our lives as a modern day equivalent of a Job. Truthfully, I've been feeling a little beat up in the last few weeks. A lot is going on and I could, if I let it happen, get really down about "my lot in life" as I've heard it described. I could tell you why I feel this way and I might get a few pats on the back, and an "I'm sorry", but honestly I am most blessed. Yes, I've got a lot to deal with and it's often hard, but then I come to church to care for and love people and I hear from one whose son was just diagnosed with mental illness. I see another struggling with cancer. Others wave to me across the lobby and smile although they are out of work and don't see any hope on the horizon.

When my focus is taken off of me and I look at others then my little world of woe is dwarfed in the real needs of people I care about. I wish I could fix everything and solve all of these problems, but first of all, I can't and second, it's not my job. God's working in each of these lives and situations in ways I can't even imagine to bring about His glory and our good. It's hard to see how bad things can work out for good, but God promises to make that happen. Even when I see no way for Him to look good from a problem ultimately he will turn it all around and we will be amazed at what he did.

Perspective...it's great to realize that two things are true- 1. God is sovereign and working his wonderful plan out in our world of problems, and 2. He will take care of us and amaze us by what he does. I have seen him do this hundreds of times before and I know he will do it again. So, if you hear me whine, which happens to all of us if someone will listen, then just remind me of truth with this simple question, "Is God in charge or not?"