An interruption to our plans or our way of life is never a
welcome experience. We want our life to be as we have it planned. “You’ve
really got it made.” “Life is just a bowl of cherries.” “Life couldn’t be better.” These are statements
that all of us love to hear and desire to say about ourselves and our life. But
all of us know that it is not always like this. Troubles come and oftentimes we
are not prepared to deal with the situation. One cannot properly prepare for
all the issues that we face because it is easy to think it will never happen to
us. There is a thin line between building a future and preparing for the things
that could happen to impact that.
“Prepare for the worst but hope for the best - the former
makes you sensible, and the latter makes you an optimist.”[1] A
great tool for this in the manufacturing field was the use of a Cause and
Effects Diagram. Very early in my career as a process engineer, as we designed
equipment for manufacturing products, we used the term, “in case of.” We tried
to anticipate the possible failures and the effects. We also found that the
cost associated with the anticipation of problems added more than the potential
failures.
The situation that’s happening in the world today is one
that the world was not prepared to handle. Yes, we have been through difficult
times but not to this degree. One would have never believed that an invisible
enemy could take the entire world to its knees practically overnight. We
scramble and search for the answer or magic wand to wave and hope it goes away.
We search for the most brilliant people to work with to resolve the issue and
the enemy seems to evade and continues to win. We could not have anticipated
the unknown by asking the basic question of, “What if?”
There
are different ways to react to the disruptions in life.
- Negative
o
Hibernate or bury our head in the
sand and hope it goes away.– that only yields to the enemy and keeps us from the
continuation of a normal life.
o
Overact – this is a good example
of building too many “in case of’s” and will lead to a life of anticipation for
the worst.
o
Be so fearful that we forget that
“the things beyond myself, I leave to God.”
o
Lose faith and start to blame God
for allowing this to happen.
I’ve often said that with every
problem or frustration, there is an opportunity. So, we need to look for the
opportunities that are in the waiting stage.
Someone wrote this in 1634 that “every cloud has a silver
lining”[2] and has been used many
times since.
o There is something good in everything that's bad
o Every negative occurrence has a positive aspect to it
o Every difficult or unpleasant situation has some advantage
o Some benefit can always be derived from a bad thing that happens
- Positive
o
Refocus on what is most meaningful
in life. Sometimes it takes us being at the bottom to be able to look up and
see the opportunities above
o Focus on helping those who do not
have hope (if I can help someone as I pass along, then my living is not in vain).
o Personal Priorities review the past
and alter for the future. Realize that things that we thought we could not live
without are truly expendable.
o
Quickly realize that the
essentials of life are God provided things.
o Spiritual level, we have an
opportunity to return to God, the One that is able to do more than we could
ever ask or think.
o Take a self examination of one’s
own life and make the changes that are needed. Perhaps it is as simple as our
attitude about God, family, job, health, etc.
Remember, “your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your
altitude.”[3]
As Christians we realize that God will always be with us no
matter what happens in the world around us. We will come through this stronger
than before. Keep the faith and hold on to the loving hand of One who is always
with us. Let’s determine that the interruptions in life will not change our
focus on the most important things of life.
Isaiah
41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I
will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and
courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord
your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
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