| In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. - Job 1:22 |
| There are those who, simply said, have the ability to "roll with the punches." Life can dish out its worst scenarios and these folks evaluate and react accordingly. Onlookers stand in amazement at how these individuals glide through disaster with grace. Tad Anderson was a modern day Job. Married at 22 years old, he and his wife were dreaming of a long life together. Their first child came into their lives when they were 23 years old. By the time they were 27, they had three small children, good careers and a zest for life. Tad left his home at five in the afternoon heading to the baseball field, but by the sixth inning his cell phone was ringing. When he answered the call, he found that his wife and three children had been hit head-on by a drunk driver, sending the car careening over an embankment and bursting into flames. Within seconds his entire life change--he'd lost everything. Months after he buried his family, a friend asked him how he managed to move forward knowing that God had taken his family. His response, "God did not take my family. A drunk driver killed my innocent family. God is the sustainer of life, here and in heaven. My family is sustained in the blessed grace and mercy of heaven." The first response for the average person is to accuse God of ruining their lives. The Father seems to take the brunt of our pain when bad things happen to us. However, Tad had it right. Approaching the unfortunate things in our lives with the attitude of Job can help us manage the pain. We'll never understand the why's of the universe, but we can rest assured Satan actively seeks and attacks us --sometimes stealing those who mean the most to us. Tad suffered a deep loss, yet he did not blame the Father. He glorified God by saying He was the sustainer of all life, both in heaven and earth. What an amazing attitude. What an amazing faith. When tough times hit, it's hard to look for the good. Job admitted that he came into the world naked and he would leave the same way. He suffered, yet he remained faithful in the fact that God was a sovereign God. When the ills of life strike, grasp hold to the hope within the Savior. Even if you feel that things are slipping away, hold tight. The prize for those who are diligent is worth the wait. |
There was the time I was taking swimming lessons. I was eight years old and had just mastered the dog-paddle when our instructor lined us up along the pool. Being four feet tall in five feet of water, and only having just learned to dog-paddle is a recipe for disaster. So when the instructor asked me to turn loose of the edge and paddle, I think he meant toward the shallow end, not the deep. Three strokes and one large gulp of water, sent me straight to the bottom. Within seconds, the instructor had fished me out of the depths. I remember, outside of the obvious embarrassment, the feeling of that first gasp of air. I did learn to swim--even became a lifeguard, but I never forgot that feeling. I never forgot the fear.
Lately, I've had trouble breathing. The inhaler works temporarily, but it doesn't remove the invisible weight sitting on my chest shoving the air from my lungs. The doctor reminded me to remain self-controlled when asthma strikes. "Don't panic." That's easy for her to say. It's me turning blue around the lips; still she was right. Even when things look bleak, remain self-controlled and don't panic.
There are times in my Christian life when I lose the ability to think clearly and panic takes hold. I'm flailing around attempting to find my way. God tells me to stay in control. He wants me to take long slow breaths and trust Him to handle the situations that are pressing the air out of me. It's hard, and it's frightening. After all, it feels like you're going to die. Sometimes we fall apart, even when we know God has our backs. Self-control in my actions and thoughts --trusting the Father fully, helps me breathe through the hardships, teaches me to wait, and takes away the fear. He offers us His grace and His promise. Are you self-controlled enough to trust the Father fully or are you gasping for air?
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope.
- Psalm 130:5
Consistently Second Cindy. That's me. It's been true since my beginning. It started when my mother gave birth to me, second! That may not be a fair assumption but technically, my brother came first by twelve years, so I can't even say the doctor goofed on the time of birth. I was never voted patrol leader in Girl Scouts, it was always assistant patrol leader.
When my teacher looked over our handwriting papers, she chose mine and Ellen's. Our teacher never liked penning the masters for the mimeograph machine, so she chose students with good handwriting to print them. It was Ellen Moore or me, and Ellen won. She got to write the masters until she fell on the play ground and broke her right arm. Then second place wasn't so bad.
High school was my worst nightmare. While upper classmen were searching for ways to beat the school rules and walk to the fast food place down the street for lunch, I was still trying to find my way to the lunchroom.
In band try-outs, I never achieved first clarinet. Second clarinet was the best I could render. And when the day came to try-out for drum majorette - you guessed it, assistant drum majorette. In track, I never won the 440 yard dash (that's where the name Consistently Second Cindy was coined). I would have sworn the second place podium had my name engraved on it.
It seems my life is full of seconds and frankly, sometimes it gets old. Everyone needs an occassional pat on the back. Today my dear friend sends me an instant message that says, "Here's today's Upper Room Thought For the Day: When has God sent an angel to direct, comfort or encourage you? You're that person, Cindy, so thanks."
That's when it hit me. Some of us aren't meant to be the dog that gets the treat. Some of us are chosen to wait. Maybe all these years of being Consistently Second Cindy was just the preparation for being the voice of urgency and support. These days, second place doesn't bother me. I got over it when I gave birth. I figured giving birth was a first place feat, so I lost the title of Consistently Second.
After all Jesus wasn't first place either. He wasn't invited to dine with families. Most of the time, He invited himself. He certainly didn't win the coin toss when it came to Him or Barabbas! Come to think of it, second place is really not so bad. Learning to wait for God's timing is easy to verbalize to our friends, but actually learning to do it--well, that's a whole lot different. Wait for the Lord and your time will come. Wait with confidence, patience, and excitement for your time will come.
Until then, I wait.
