Envision yourself in one of these scenarios. You've gone for tests and you're waiting for the medical report to come back. You lost your job unexpectedly or your spouse walks out on you. Your child is diagnosed with a serious health condition. As hard to accept as these can be, negative circumstances have something positive to teach us and that is how to live with uncertainty.
There are lots of situations in life when we don't know what's coming next and we are forced to wait in a state of limbo. Time seems to stand still and we wonder what the future holds or if God is really paying attention to us or if He really cares. The answer to that question is a resounding "YES, He is and He does!" God is totally in control and has a purpose for everything we go through.
Personal Story:
God has allowed many situations in my life that have been extremely painful and uncertain. If you've read my book, "The Power of Faith", you know I've been through a lot of ugly stuff such as: a bad marriage, an ugly divorce, financial ruin, health issues, rebellious addicted kids, dishonest dating relationships. And that was only the first half of my life.
Sometimes I look back and wonder why has all this happened to me. But then I look at other people who are a lot worse off and I am so very thankful. In fact, a better perspective is to say "Thank you, God, for bringing me through all that stuff." Trials build our character. They build endurance, hope, courage, and faith. After all, now I can write about the stuff I've learned.
We don't know why bad things happen and it's normal to wonder how everything is going to turn out. The good news is we can relax. I know, easier said than done. Repeat after me: God is in control. Just relax. These circumstances may be a surprise to us, but they are not a surprise to God. He knows exactly what is going on. He has us in the palm of his right hand. Picture that for a moment - in the palm of His right hand. Gives you a certain comfort level, doesn't it?
How to Deal with Uncertainty
Now I am not trying to minimize whatsoever the stuff we endure in life but I have learned that learning to wait and trust God in situations is critical to maintaining my peace and joy during the rough patches of life. So what can we do to get through while we're waiting? Here are some techniques I've learned that help me and trust they will help you as well.
1. Set a limit on the amount of time you ruminate on a given situation. Do not let yourself be consumed by whatever is going on in your life or in the world around you. Ruminating sucks our joy and our energy and keeps us immobilized in a state of anxiety. Remember you are in control of your thoughts.
2. Realize what is and is not in your control.
Many situations that upset us are not in our control: the stock market ups and downs, the natural disasters, the fires, the viruses. As much as we would like to wave a magic wand and have all be well with the world, we cannot. The best we can do is to try to manage our own thoughts, behaviors, and reactions. This takes enough energy.
3. Remember you are not alone.
Others have and are going thru the same thing. You are not in this alone. Reach out for support. Don't be afraid to talk to others about what you're going through. I've found that when I open up, others do the same. We are all dealing with something and we all need a listening ear. God is the best ear we could have and his line is never busy.
4. Don't rush ahead of God and take the situation into your own hands.
It could have disastrous results. Yes, waiting is tough, but if we don't wait on God we could get ourselves into a worse mess. God is directing our steps and His speed is usually SLOW. We want to remedy things NOW but God has something to teach us in our trials. I've learned that many situations in life I think are annoyances are really opportunities for me to learn endearing qualities such as Patience, Letting Go, and Surrender. God doesn't waste anything.
5. Trust God.
Most of us have no concept of how much God really loves us, especially if we didn't receive the appropriate love, attention, and approval from our parents. But God makes up for all that. He loves and approves of us and he is watching over us all the time.
God has allowed many situations in my life that have been extremely painful and uncertain. If you've read my book, "The Power of Faith", you know I've been through a lot of ugly stuff such as: a bad marriage, an ugly divorce, financial ruin, health issues, rebellious addicted kids, dishonest dating relationships. And that was only the first half of my life.
Sometimes I look back and wonder why has all this happened to me. But then I look at other people who are a lot worse off and I am so very thankful. In fact, a better perspective is to say "Thank you, God, for bringing me through all that stuff." Trials build our character. They build endurance, hope, courage, and faith. After all, now I can write about the stuff I've learned.
We don't know why bad things happen and it's normal to wonder how everything is going to turn out. The good news is we can relax. I know, easier said than done. Repeat after me: God is in control. Just relax. These circumstances may be a surprise to us, but they are not a surprise to God. He knows exactly what is going on. He has us in the palm of his right hand. Picture that for a moment - in the palm of His right hand. Gives you a certain comfort level, doesn't it?
How to Deal with Uncertainty
Now I am not trying to minimize whatsoever the stuff we endure in life but I have learned that learning to wait and trust God in situations is critical to maintaining my peace and joy during the rough patches of life. So what can we do to get through while we're waiting? Here are some techniques I've learned that help me and trust they will help you as well.
1. Set a limit on the amount of time you ruminate on a given situation. Do not let yourself be consumed by whatever is going on in your life or in the world around you. Ruminating sucks our joy and our energy and keeps us immobilized in a state of anxiety. Remember you are in control of your thoughts.
2. Realize what is and is not in your control.
Many situations that upset us are not in our control: the stock market ups and downs, the natural disasters, the fires, the viruses. As much as we would like to wave a magic wand and have all be well with the world, we cannot. The best we can do is to try to manage our own thoughts, behaviors, and reactions. This takes enough energy.
3. Remember you are not alone.
Others have and are going thru the same thing. You are not in this alone. Reach out for support. Don't be afraid to talk to others about what you're going through. I've found that when I open up, others do the same. We are all dealing with something and we all need a listening ear. God is the best ear we could have and his line is never busy.
4. Don't rush ahead of God and take the situation into your own hands.
It could have disastrous results. Yes, waiting is tough, but if we don't wait on God we could get ourselves into a worse mess. God is directing our steps and His speed is usually SLOW. We want to remedy things NOW but God has something to teach us in our trials. I've learned that many situations in life I think are annoyances are really opportunities for me to learn endearing qualities such as Patience, Letting Go, and Surrender. God doesn't waste anything.
5. Trust God.
Most of us have no concept of how much God really loves us, especially if we didn't receive the appropriate love, attention, and approval from our parents. But God makes up for all that. He loves and approves of us and he is watching over us all the time.
Put it this way. Take the love you feel for the most cherished person in your life and multiple that by like a thousand (very rough guess) times. God loves each and every one of us and ultimately wants the very best for you and me.
6. Praise God.
Praise comes in many forms. It could be singing, praying, playing an instrument, thanking God out loud, quoting scripture verses. Praise is good for our souls and our spirits. It takes our focus off our problems and puts it back where it belongs - on God. It lifts our burdens and lightens our load.
Praise also activates movement in the heavenly realms, believe it or not. There is much going on in the spiritual realm that we are not aware of. Something in the spiritual atmosphere changes when we praise God.
For Reflection
What is it that you are anxious about today? Who or what is stealing your peace and joy? Lent is a good time to draw near to God thru prayer, journaling, and meditation. Spend some time today connecting with the Divine and see how much more peaceful you feel.
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Until next time, keep looking up and do leave a comment or forward this to a friend!
Ariel Paz
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