Life rarely goes as planned.
I’m reminded of this reality every time I drive in Chicago. Why? Because something unexpected always happens. It could be a sinkhole, construction zone, detour, rush hour, accident, pedestrian, slow driver, speedy driver, putting on mascara driver—you name it, all dead-set on sabotaging my intended route. It’s as if there is some sort of secret society that conspires with a flash mob of derailments: “Cue the jaywalking pedestrians and get ready to move the bulldozer in place.”
Can you relate?
Maybe it was the phone call, the doctor’s report, the divorce papers, the accident, the layoff, the betrayal, the anxiety, the chronic pain, the news, the scale that derailed you. Or maybe you woke up this morning and declared, Today is a good day for a good day,” only to find out today didn’t get the memo. Though these things are common to our existence, they can also serve as an unwelcome slap in the face that things are often outside of our control.
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 16:9
When I feel stuck, my natural reaction is to take a detour. If I turn up some side street, go through some alleys, and skip traffic for a few blocks, I feel more in control. But what ends up happening (more often than not) is that it takes me longer to reach my destination than if I just slowed down in traffic, waited for the light, or had patience with the slow driver or diversion in front of me.
Your life might feel derailed at times, but don’t get distracted. Distractions lead to detours. But…
Detours don’t develop you.
Discipline does.
In Luke 9:23-25, Jesus said, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you?” (MSG)
So… Hold on.
Hang on.
Trust the process.
Consistently show up.
Stay the course.
“You can’t control the events and circumstances in life… but… you can control your reactions to the events and circumstances in your life.” —Dr. Carolyn Leaf
“Pure gold put into the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.”
1 Peter 1:7