Highs and Lows In Life

Yesterday, while waiting for Emily to finish her violin lesson,  I took my kids to the beach.  The rhythm of the waves coming in and out reminded me of the rhythms of life. We have good times and then bad times. We have highs and we have lows. We have prosperity and then need, and sometimes we have peace and unrest. Contentment, then discontent. Encouraged then discouraged.

I was exhausted, after a busy weekend which included spending time with a grieving friend, a men’s evangelistic steak dinner at our church which Peter was overseeing, apple picking with my family,  my dad having chest pain, being brought to the hospital for the weekend for tests and then sent to Tufts for his treatments, church on Sunday and the big E fair.  As I looked back over my calendar and all we had done, I was mentally accounting for the things that I “liked.”

I disliked the fact that my friend was grieving. I liked how well the men’s dinner went and how many visitors we had, but I disliked the fact that it was so much work and that I was exhausted. I liked apple picking, but of course, disliked my dads near heart attack. I liked the Big E, but disliked how exhausted all the walking made me and how expensive everything was.

I was doing some accounting in my mind but was not thinking biblically.

James 1 tells

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

I was looking over my weekend and I had two columns : the pleasant and wanted, and the unpleasant and unwanted. Do you ever do this?

On days when the kids are obedient and good, we are “happy”. Those are the days when we exclaim “God is good!”  But during times of disobedience or retraining them to do their one morning chore for the gazillionth time, we are unhappy or fitful in our souls. Funny, we are not praising God on those days.

Our unhappiness is not caused by what we don’t have, or from our  less than pleasant circumstances or our physical or emotional needs.

Our unhappiness comes from our desire for what we don’t have. 

Or, to be blunt–We become discontent in life when we crave what we don’t have.

We assume that life should work certain ways, and when it does not, we become discontent.

• A single woman expects to be married.
• A married woman expects a doting, loving husband.
• A childless couple expects a child.
• A sick woman expects health.
• An unemployed man expects a good paying job.
• Mothers expect obedient, well trained children.

Here is where we are exposing what is going on inside. We expect health, prosperity, good relationships, love and admiration from others–in other words, we want life to be good and fun. When we don’t get what we are expecting, we become discontent, angry, grasping and controlling and ultimately unthankful. (Rom. 1)

God has told us that he will give us what is good for us. Even if we think it is all wrong. Even if it comes to us through the sinful or neglectful acts of others. He is working out his will in our lives and  He is sovereign and sees all.

He will take care of us. So why do we disbelieve Him? Why do we insist that we know what is best for us, like little children demanding candy when the parent says “No, eat your vegetables.” We assume we know better. We want to take the place of God, controlling our own lives and the lives of others, and making life run our way. We don’t want to let God rule. We think we would do a better job.

Today, whatever is unpleasant to you–the undesirable, the bad, the unjust or unpleasant–give it to God, and thank Him for it. He is using all of this to change you and to mold you. It is all for your own good.