What do you do when things don’t happen the way you want them to?

For me, most times I get upset and pout and I feel like I end up blaming something or someone for my misfortune. For instance, I was out of town and really ready to get back home and got on a plane for home when the pilot says ” We are going to have to deplane to fix a problem with the air conditioner”. Even though it was for our benefit I was mad! Not only had I gotten comfy on the plane but now I must deplane AND I won’t be arriving when I wanted to. Not cool.

Funny how I totally didn’t think of how beneficial being able to be cool and comfortable on the flight would be. Or how (even though it wasn’t) there could have been something malfunctioning there and triggered something in the plane elsewhere that could have made our plane not make it to our final destination.I went straight to how it will set me back and how its wasn’t what I planned. I know that is such a diva thing but let’s get serious.

Whose plan are you going after? How are you responding when things don’t go the way you want them to? God’s plan or yours?

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (New International Version)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

It seems like i have forgotten how to wait for things. And it’s in EVERYTHING! I can barely wait at a stop light, I feel like my Starbucks drink could be made faster, I freak out when my internet connection doesn’t go fast enough, nothing goes fast enough in my life. My wife and I are working on buying a house and we can barely wait for things to happen. If there was one BIG BUTTON I could push for it all to speed up, like a fast-forward button, I would soooo be pushing it! So what happened?! How did I get here? Why can’t I wait AT ALL?!

It seems as though I am being fed the knowledge that everything should happen when I want it to happen but I have found that its not true. For instance, If we were to have bought a house while we were in Oklahoma, we would’ve been stuck making a house payment while moving out to Arizona. That would’ve stunk!

I was looking at that situation, and there are many more of those in my life, and it makes me realize that if i got what i wanted when I wanted I would be in a world of hurt. Not that a house is a bad thing but it just wasn’t the right time. Through that situation and many others I have found my impatience. The urge to have things or do things or speed up things that aren’t meant to be sped up or aren’t meant to be in my life right now. So how do I gain that patience back? I have no clue but a life full of it makes me anxious and that’s no fun!

I am drawn to this verse in the Bible:

” 3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.”

2 Peter 1:3-7 (New Living Translation)

So what am I in such a hurry for? One, I have all I need in Christ. Two, impatience gets you nowhere and gets me angry about NOTHING! Three, all things will be provided as they are provided…smell what I’m stepping in? :0)

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