Before I got married, my TIVO was my boyfriend. Or at least, that is what I called him. He came into my life in 2007, and while he was limited in what he could do for me, when it came to knowing when my shows came on and recording them, he never failed me. He even suggested other shows he thought I would like, and made sure to capture anytime Denzel Washington was on TV either in a movie or on a morning talk show. Yes, for those of you who don't know, TIVO is a brand of DVR (digital video recorder). THE brand, if you ask me. I must confess, even in marriage, I still see my TIVO on the side. We don't spend as much time together as we did when I was single, but he has faithfully recorded for me nonetheless.
However, a few weeks ago, he let me down. Now, I know some of you have never found yourself attached to a television series at all, but many of us find ourselves completely addicted to one show or another. That show for me is "So You Think You Can Dance". A competition reality show, SYTYCD(it's right, you don't need to check it) brings me week after week of amazing choreography, great dancing, and entertaining judges, and I am a REAL fan. I vote. Weekly. From the beginning of the season. Ever since I let Travis Wall down in Season 3 and missed the finale competition night and failed to vote (this was pre-TIVO), I've made sure to never miss a finale night, and have assured my favorite a victory every year since,...until a couple of weeks ago, when for reasons I still don't quite understand, TIVO did not record the finale competition night. To say I was devastated is embarrassing since it is only a TV show, so let's just say I was quite disappointed and leave it at that. In fact, I was so upset, that refused to watch the finale result show for more than a week after it aired. I reminded myself that it is just a TV show, but in many ways, the season was ruined for me by not being able to participate in that final, crucial week.
Yes, I do realize that in the big scheme of life, this disappointment barely registers on the scale. It has not come close to being my greatest let down of this summer even, but my feelings and my response revealed to me on a small scale, how I deal with disappointment, and I realized I needed an attitude adjustment. You see, how we feel when life lets us down is not something we can choose, but how we respond to those feelings is. God expects us to feel disappointed, frustrated, angry, hurt, sad, or betrayed when these things happen, but He also expects us to respond in a way that reflects our faith in Him. To pout, whine, complain, or do any other adult equivalent of taking your ball and going home is to behave in a manner that does not bring glory to our God.
This week I faced a much greater disappointment in my life than missing a TV episode. In the first moments of that disappointment I found myself praying. I began asking God for comfort, strength, and a right reaction. He brought two verses to my mind as an answer to that prayer:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5
"Know that the Lord is God! He made us and we are His." Psalm 100:3
These are two verses that I have known for a long time, but I had never put them together like this before. They reminded me that God is God and I am not. He knows what is best for me because He created me. His timing and His plan for my life are perfect, and I can not question that because I am the creation, not the creator. All I need to do is trust Him and not try to out think or out plan Him. In essence, the responsibility of the plan of my life is on Him; the responsibility of how I live that life He plans is on me. As you face disappointments in your life, don't do the adult equivalent of stomping off to your room and slamming the door. Choose to respond in a way that shows you belong to Christ. Be joyful and loving, praise God with true enthusiasm, press on and continue to grow in Him, and be thankful for what you do have in your life. Let your response show that you know this current disappointment is just a temporary setback in a life that is committed to an eternal, faithful, and loving God.
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