Sought, Provided, or Allowed

Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself. (Walter Anderson)

We continue to shout our praise even when we’re hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we’re never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! (Romans 5:3-5)

What comes our way in life is a combination of what is sought, provided, and allowed. We seek things such as a good car, bargains at the grocery store, or the most cost-effective way to get that vacation we desire. Other things are provided to us such as the roads we travel, the air we breathe, and the rains that come in season. Then there is this other category of what is 'allowed' in our lives. It is sometimes the things that are 'allowed' that try us the most, putting us through our paces, testing the very fiber of our being. We may not have sought them, nor did we really hope they would be provided, but when God allows something in our life to occur, we had better pay attention to it. There is something profound in what he is about to do, teach us, or bring forth from that thing!

In alert expectancy - this is to be our attitude when what is 'allowed' comes our way. We may not know the reason for the events or circumstances, but we can gain much from them if we allow our hearts to be in tune with the heart of God. We may not want the grief the moment brings about, as I doubt Job of the Old Testament wanted the loss of his family, flocks, herds, and wealth. We may not even relish going 'through' the moments from the beginning of those events until they are over, but as long as we walk with God 'through' them, we will come out the other side with something more than we had when those events began. We can't round up enough containers - that says it all. God might have allowed the events to occur, but deep within those events lies something more than we can imagine - godly character. Just sayin!