But God...

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning" Lamentations 3:22-23

As I was laying in bed yesterday morning, I found myself doing something that we are probably all guilty of from time to time--beating myself up. Thinking about my week and how terribly it had gone, I couldn't help but give myself a pretty serious scolding for being lazy, being unmotivated, not really being very nice at all to much of anyone, complaining, arguing, and really struggling with worry and fear.

 If I am very honest, I got tested with everything I blogged about in the last two posts...and failed pretty miserably! Taylor would gladly testify to you all that I failed at responding and not reacting, and I also wasn't staying rooted in the source and having peace no matter what...I let my mom's surgery and some other things allow my fear to replace my faith, my worry to replace my trust, and even gave in to anger and frustration that all this was happening to my mom and in this terrible timing. Instead of trying to push through or do anything productive, I found myself asking over and over again, "But God, why? why now? why her again?"

Even after we got the good news that everything removed during her surgery was benign and that the cancer had not come back (Amen! God is Healer!) I had gotten myself in such a hole indulging in so much negativity, worry, and fear that I could barely celebrate this incredible blessing.

That's where I found myself yesterday morning--worn out, worn down, and just really letting myself have it about how terrible I was this week... but as my precious friend Natalie posted yesterday, "thank goodness I have a God who doesn't leave me where I'm at!" God spoke in my heart and overwhelmed me with the grace He had for me that I was too imperfect and too harsh to give myself. His mercies really are new every morning!

My week might have been one of the worst in my life, and I might have handled it pretty horribly, but God showed up, and in an instant it was better! There are so many stories like this in the Bible, particularly with King David in the psalms, where everything is horrible--whether that be the circumstances or sometimes even the person--but God shows up and immediately things change. I think of the disciples on the boat in the middle of the raging storm, but Jesus shows up and immediately the winds cease and the waters still. He can renew strength, fill us with confidence, calm life's storms, or even change our heart and our whole life with a single moment in His presence!

One of my favorite "but God" stories of the Bible is that of Paul. He tells his story in Galatians 1:13;15a saying,

"You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion--how I violently persecuted God's church. I did my best to destroy it...But God chose me and called me by His marvelous grace."

God met Paul right where he was, and in an instant turned a Christian killer into a Christian who would become one of the greatest leaders to ever proclaim the gospel and the author of 13 books of the New Testament! Wow, that absolutely blows my mind, but that's what my God can do!

Whatever you're going through today, take a minute to say today might not look or feel good, but God I know You are good! I might not think I can do all that's in front of me, but God with You ALL things are possible! I may be going through something, but God I know you didn't bring me here to leave me--if You've brought me to it, You will bring me through it! I might feel lonely, but God I am not alone because You promise to never leave me or forsake me. Everything might feel out of control, but God I know You are in control. It may have been that way in the past, but God You make me brand new, Your mercies are new every morning, and it doesn't have to be that way today or in my future!

God is the most beautiful interrupter. Let Him "but in" to your day today!

Respond NOT React

"A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare" Proverbs 15:1

Many people repeat the famous quote, "life is 10% what actually happens to you and 90% how you react to." Each day is made up of 86,400 seconds. That's a lot of opportunities to have all kinds of things come at you--for things to go right or, as they often do, to go wrong. There are 86,400 chances to either react to these things or respond to them.

You might be thinking, "Wow, thanks for the two synonyms Captain Obvious. Those are the same exact thing." In our casual, everyday language these two words do tend to get used interchangeably, but there is an inherent, distinct difference between the two, and I think it's worth going on a little "English teacher tangent" to look at these words a little more closely.

React typically means something instantaneous as a result of certain circumstances or conditions--like a chemical reaction in a science experiment. You combine the particular ingredients (like bumper-to-bumper traffic when you're already running late to school/work) and BOOM! you've got a reaction, and usually not a very good one.

Reactions tend to be heat of the moment, circumstance-based, and feeling driven. Response, on the other hand, is typically used for things spoken and written (think about where you tend to see this word--like on an essay prompt "give a thoughtful response" or "carefully respond"), implying by its very definition and common use that it takes a bit more time and careful consideration than an instantaneous reaction.

What would happen if we took the time to respond to people, circumstances, etc., rather than just reacting? I believe that at least 90% of our lives (based on the quote) would be a whole lot better! Instead of walking around negative, frustrated, angry, and generally all worked up, we could have peace and keep our joy from being stolen by our circumstances! Beyond that, we might just spread joy and peace to others!

As the second part of the verse for today says, "harsh words make tempers flare." When you react to a situation, most of the time that instantaneous, gut, feeling-based reaction is not going to be the kindest or most peace-seeking. If you're anything like me and struggle with having a victim mentality and/or are easily offended and quick to get defensive or argumentative, this is especially hard because we're likely to spout off the first thing that comes to mind that has been conceived by the anger and frustration we let into our hearts ("what you say flows from your what is in your heart" Luke 6:45).

I know that in this day and age everything is instantaneous--from our oatmeal and coffee to our news and etc.--but we need to pump the breaks just a bit, bite our tongues, take a breath, whatever it takes to hold on to our joy and peace! As the first part of this verse says, "a gentle answer deflects anger." Our words hold SO much power! In various places all throughout the Bible, it speaks to the power of words, but in this verse it specifically says that our words--if taken the time to use wisdom and form into a carefully selected, gentle response--have the ability to totally deflect anger, one of the most powerful and difficult to manage human emotions.

How are you using your words? Are you responding or simply reacting? Slow down and unlock the power within your words!

Application for Teachers:
One of the best pieces of advice that I have received in my journey to becoming a teacher thus far is to "never get into a power struggle with your students." You will inevitably have those students that want to test you. They just seem to know exactly where every one of your buttons is placed and just how to push them, as I have already experienced in my time spent with 8-9 year olds, 7th graders, and especially 11th graders. If you're not careful, however, you can let these children (combined with the other circumstances of your day) get you so frustrated and upset that you are no longer in control of your emotions or your classroom, and you are reacting instead of responding.

The same person who gave me this advice about avoiding the power struggle concluded with, "when you engage in a power struggle with your student(s) you always lose." Instead of engaging in this type of confrontation with your students, apply this verse! Take a minute if you need to get your emotions under control and respond--NOT react-- to whatever behavior your student(s) is/are exhibiting. Many of your students will be used to the yelling and fighting that happens at home, on TV, etc. Your gentle words and patient response will not only model good behavior/stress management for them, but also communicate a level of caring that they might never have experienced before!

 Loving your students--and most importantly, showing them the love of Christ--might be as simple as taking a few extra seconds to respond to them with gentleness! You can use your words in everyday, common situations to make a HUGE impact in their lives!

Rooted in THE Source

"But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; it's leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit" Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV.

When we are totally trusting and confident in God, the One who has all and never ever changes, He becomes our "source" and we are rooted in Him. When we are rooted in THE source of Living Water, we can become so stable that we are never even phased by our circumstances.

Even when its so hot--we're under pressure, we're stressed, we're overwhelmed, and the world might feel like its melting all around us--we won't fear because we're rooted in THE source. Our "leaves" will always be green because our well being is not dependent on our circumstances. "God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19.

Even in a year of drought--things might be bad for a long time; we might feel dry like we've almost got nothing left, like everything is dying around us; we might not even "feel" God's presence-- but even in those times, however long they may last, "He will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6) and we can still remain rooted in THE source.

If we push past our circumstances and then push even further past our feelings, keeping ourselves rooted in THE source, we can even bear fruit when it would make sense to everyone around us to just wither and die, to totally give up, because our joy, hope, peace, and love are not dependent on our circumstances. The best part about fruit is that it isn't just for us to have to make us look pretty. We get to give our fruit to a dying, hopeless world that is starving for something real--something that will actually sustain them.

I firmly believe that our greatest ministry comes out of our deepest pain and our hardest struggles. Sometimes we have to go through things so that the world, or maybe even just that one person, can watch us to see how we handle it. Paul said in Philippians 1:14 "because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly." Just like with Paul, sometimes our struggles do more for other people than they even do for ourselves. Praising God in our trials can cause others to boldly praise Him in their circumstances, or maybe even for the first time ever! God will use what was meant to and would make sense to destroy you for the saving of many lives! (paraphrase Genesis 50:20)

If we keep ourselves rooted in THE source, we'll not only remain stable, but we'll also bear fruit that gives life to everyone around us. So dig deep! Cling to THE source! He's not finished with you yet! He wants to bring something good to the world through exactly what you're going through today!