Bad news. We all get it.
The phone call. The meeting. The appointment.
A disaster. A failure. An injustice. Destruction. Mess.
In that moment you are so wrapped up in what's happening that we rarely are capable of taking a step back, a big breath and looking at the situation for what it actually is, not as we perceive it to be.
But, why?
I thrive on details. I need to know how everything works, why it does what it does and what it's going to do next. I used to think that this made me curious. That's not a bad thing, right?
Wrong. It's a complete lack of faith. I had no idea what I was missing. It wasn't until I was tired of drowning that I realized that I'm equipped. I have a choice to swim. He gave me all of the tools. He created me to be capable. Mentally, physically and emotionally. He also designed me to be capable of trusting Him to guide me through every single day in order to fulfill His ultimate purpose for my life.
He never promised that it would be smooth sailing.
He didn't say that I would never get hurt.
He didn't say that I wouldn't struggle in every sense of the word.
He didn't say that people would always be fair.
What he did say is that He would never abandon me.
He did say that He would hear every cry and every prayer.
He did promise that He has plans for my life filled with hope and a future.
All I have to do is trust. In a world where trusting is so hard I have to make a choice to give it all up to Him. It feels impossible to the ones who like to be in control. I do know one thing though, me being in charge of my own life alone...it ain't workin'.
I've learned that the messenger is going to come in all shapes and sizes. They can be disguised as a friend, teacher, spouse or even a stranger. The news that they give you, the way that they treat you, the things that they say to you can be interpreted in two ways:
1. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? I don't understand.
2. God's got it. He's taking me out of this situation because He knew that I couldn't do it on my own so he sent a little "nudge". He knew that I was distracted. He knew that I got off track. He needed me elsewhere. He had something grander in mind. He is redirecting me to suit His purpose for me.
Whatever you do, don't shoot the messenger. Sometimes the things that they say or do don't even make sense. They may not even know why they are acting the way that they are towards us but it is not our job to convince them that they are wrong. It's our job to trust that although God didn't cause the situation, He is using it to get us to exactly where we are supposed to be.
If you are like me and you need the bad news to take a back seat in your life and stop controlling every fiber of your being, don't shoot the messenger. Remember that you are being re-directed. Give God a shout-out for moving you along. Don't consider it a set back. Have faith that He is moving you in a different direction but you are not moving backwards. Not with Him in the front seat.
Next time the messenger comes your way, and they will, remember the bottom line:
People will hurt you. They will stop you from going where you imagined yourself going. They will make you feel like you aren't worthy. Then one day when you look back you will be amazed to see that God's hands were in every single event that led you to where you are. He's workin'. The second you stop interfering you will experience the true peace that He always wanted you to have. And that's what it's all about.
xoxo,
Mary-Ellen