“Negative news.
Uncontrollable circumstances.
Difficult people.
Acknowledge that they exist. Admit they are painful. Deal with them as necessary. But do NOT reward them by allowing them to remain on the center stage of your life” ~~Tammy Maseberg (10/23/12)
The first three things listed above are a part of life. If you are alive, you will meet up with each one at some point—probably many times over. In fact, some days may bring all of them in the span of a few hours.
When I created that quote last fall, I can’t specifically remember what was going on in my life. These three elements have not been an easy thing for me to learn to deal with. After traversing through many trials and heartaches and with a lot of help from the Lord and some wise people, I came up with some solutions that have been beneficial—at least for me:1. Acknowledge that they exist. We have to face what is before us, no matter how unpleasant. I found that sometimes it helps to admit a difficulty is there, instead of using all my energy to avoid it. Jesus was very clear that we would have trouble. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33, NLT
2. Admit they are painful. It’s okay to say, “This hurts.” Once I allowed myself to acknowledge this, I found that I was more able to deal with whatever was in front of me. And, it dissipated the guilt of thinking I should be handling the situation better than I was. “Trouble and anguish have come upon me, Yet Your commandments are my delight.” (Psalm 119:143, NAS)
3. Deal with them as necessary. Sometimes you have to confront and take care of stuff, but sometimes you don’t. Choose what battles or situations or relationships are worthy of your time and energy to engage in and work on. It’s true that there are some of those we cannot just walk away from. So, how can we discern what we should do? “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (James 1:5, NLT)
But do NOT reward them by allowing them to remain on the center stage of your life. The challenges we are up against don’t have to be all consuming. Trust that God will help you. Focus on Him and His solutions, not always the issues at hand. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT)
Be encouraged today. No matter what you are facing, God can and wants to help you get through it—one day at a time.
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” (Matthew 6:34, The Message)
©2013 Tammy Maseberg All Rights Reserved