Have you ever had someone ask you what you might make of a bad situation? They know you are facing it, but they want you to 'make something out of it' rather than 'let it go to waste'. Now, that is a bit optimistic on occasion, as some situations just turn from bad to worse when I get involved in them! Why? It would have been wiser to just let them go - that is what I needed to 'make out of the situation' - stay out of it because it isn't going to change anything for the better if I get involved. What we make of circumstances often reveals much more about the foundation in our lives than we realize. What we do with a failure of another, emphasizing it or letting it go, reveals more about our heart than we often realize. It is what it is...true enough words. We cannot stop a runaway train, but we don't have to be in its path, do we? We also don't need to ride every train that comes along!
A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. (Proverbs 22:3)
We are actually exercising great "wisdom" when we avoid the "hot buttons" in relationships. That may not seem like rocket science for some, but how many times have we just plunged straight ahead, knowing some manner of conversation or action would "trigger" that very hot button in someone's life? Probably more than we realize! What we make of it is what it will become - keep that in mind the next time you want to just plunge right in! The prudent and the simpleton - those are two different sides of the coin, aren't they? While we don't use these words too often in our vocabulary today, they carry some pretty important meaning. The prudent are the savvy - those who have understanding and actually use it! The simpleton are just the opposite - they are ignorant and their ignorance gets them into some pretty tight spots from time to time! The savvy individual actually sees the speeding train and ducks out of the way! The ignoramus simply walks down the middle of the tracks or buys a ticket to actually ride it!
Life happens - but the savvy have learned to take what it sends their way and make it into the best thing possible. Life comes at you fast - learn to look at each challenge as an opportunity for growth, blessing, and foundation building within your life and those within the relationship! We can see trouble coming a mile off sometimes. If this is true, then why do we stand there, clearly in its path, and get all worked up about it coming? I have had relationships over the years in which it seemed NOTHING good ever came from them! There were more "hot buttons" triggered than words of kindness or appreciation. So, why did I keep those relationships? I actually thought they were teaching me something! In response to their hurled accusations, I learned the difficult lesson of turning the other cheek. Don't get me wrong - this was a hugely hard lesson to learn and I don't think I am finished by any means! In response to their curtness, I had the opportunity to respond in kindness. Sometimes I responded more like the simpleton than the prudent! I allowed their curt response to become something which actually "ruffled my feathers" instead of learning to not respond in like manner.
I honestly believe we "get" some of these moments in life so we can develop some of the things God wants us to "become". We don't see the threat of the speeding train until we are clearly in its path! We don't see the volatility of any unkind word until we have spoken it! Some of us "bury" those hot buttons so deep, it almost eludes us seeing them - but, boy, can we hit 'em! We all make something different out of what life sends our way, don't we? Some see the speeding train as an opportunity to learn to run and run faster than the train - others see it as an opportunity to solve the equation which will slow its progress. What "becomes" is based on how we "see" the train - as an opportunity or as a threat! Too many times, we "interpret" the situation as a threat - causing us to fear it rather than overcome it! God's plan is for us to allow our situation to "become something more". I think this is probably the lesson he taught the day he asked the disciples how much food the crowd had. In their "interpretation" they had very little (5 loaves and 2 fish for a crowd of over 5,000). In his perspective, they had enough to allow it to "become" all they needed - with leftovers! Our present situation may just be an opportunity for us to "become" something more! It is the broken relationship which teaches us the lessons of forgiveness and the destruction of bitterness. It is failing health that opens our eyes to enjoying moments which previously escaped our attention. It is the hunger of our souls which causes us to pick up our dusty Bibles and search out the hidden treasures within. It is what it is - but it has the power to become so much more when the "it" is squarely placed in God's hands! Just sayin....
A prudent person sees trouble coming and ducks; a simpleton walks in blindly and is clobbered. (Proverbs 22:3)
We are actually exercising great "wisdom" when we avoid the "hot buttons" in relationships. That may not seem like rocket science for some, but how many times have we just plunged straight ahead, knowing some manner of conversation or action would "trigger" that very hot button in someone's life? Probably more than we realize! What we make of it is what it will become - keep that in mind the next time you want to just plunge right in! The prudent and the simpleton - those are two different sides of the coin, aren't they? While we don't use these words too often in our vocabulary today, they carry some pretty important meaning. The prudent are the savvy - those who have understanding and actually use it! The simpleton are just the opposite - they are ignorant and their ignorance gets them into some pretty tight spots from time to time! The savvy individual actually sees the speeding train and ducks out of the way! The ignoramus simply walks down the middle of the tracks or buys a ticket to actually ride it!
Life happens - but the savvy have learned to take what it sends their way and make it into the best thing possible. Life comes at you fast - learn to look at each challenge as an opportunity for growth, blessing, and foundation building within your life and those within the relationship! We can see trouble coming a mile off sometimes. If this is true, then why do we stand there, clearly in its path, and get all worked up about it coming? I have had relationships over the years in which it seemed NOTHING good ever came from them! There were more "hot buttons" triggered than words of kindness or appreciation. So, why did I keep those relationships? I actually thought they were teaching me something! In response to their hurled accusations, I learned the difficult lesson of turning the other cheek. Don't get me wrong - this was a hugely hard lesson to learn and I don't think I am finished by any means! In response to their curtness, I had the opportunity to respond in kindness. Sometimes I responded more like the simpleton than the prudent! I allowed their curt response to become something which actually "ruffled my feathers" instead of learning to not respond in like manner.
I honestly believe we "get" some of these moments in life so we can develop some of the things God wants us to "become". We don't see the threat of the speeding train until we are clearly in its path! We don't see the volatility of any unkind word until we have spoken it! Some of us "bury" those hot buttons so deep, it almost eludes us seeing them - but, boy, can we hit 'em! We all make something different out of what life sends our way, don't we? Some see the speeding train as an opportunity to learn to run and run faster than the train - others see it as an opportunity to solve the equation which will slow its progress. What "becomes" is based on how we "see" the train - as an opportunity or as a threat! Too many times, we "interpret" the situation as a threat - causing us to fear it rather than overcome it! God's plan is for us to allow our situation to "become something more". I think this is probably the lesson he taught the day he asked the disciples how much food the crowd had. In their "interpretation" they had very little (5 loaves and 2 fish for a crowd of over 5,000). In his perspective, they had enough to allow it to "become" all they needed - with leftovers! Our present situation may just be an opportunity for us to "become" something more! It is the broken relationship which teaches us the lessons of forgiveness and the destruction of bitterness. It is failing health that opens our eyes to enjoying moments which previously escaped our attention. It is the hunger of our souls which causes us to pick up our dusty Bibles and search out the hidden treasures within. It is what it is - but it has the power to become so much more when the "it" is squarely placed in God's hands! Just sayin....
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