Contingency Plan

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:28 NIV

I knew that God loved me, but leaving work the day my job was terminated, the day after my husband's unemployment benefits had run out, I felt as though He didn't like me very much.  Had He forgotten that we had a family and a mortgage, or that we did our best to live by His guidance?

I had been reading through Psalms at the time, many of which are quite honest in expressing frustration.  There are some pretty candid talks with God in there.  So I just asked Him: Lord, where ARE You?  My major appliances are breaking down, our savings is gone, my husband needs a job, and now I do too.

On my way home I stopped at a local business that had been looking for someone with qualifications I had acquired but hadn't been using much, and landed a new job that same day.  A few weeks later my husband was hired by a company where he had applied months prior.  Steps God had led us take in the past saved our future.  It took some time, but we got back on our feet.

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  Genesis 50:20 NIV

If you're going through a rough patch, when it feels as though people or circumstances are working against you, and you're wondering if God has a contingency plan, keep walking.  Keep praying, keep listening, don't give up.  It may be that steps He led you to take in the past will save your future.

God's timing is now, and God's plan is us, Jesus in and through us.

Response vs. Reaction

"He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him."  Proverbs 18:13 (NAS)

What pops out of your mouth when you break a glass, are cut off in traffic, or get into an argument?  Learning the difference between response and reaction altered what comes out of mine, or even whether anything comes out at all.  A reaction, like a reflex, is often involuntary, and seldom thought out or prepared.  A response, on the other hand, is purposeful and planned.

When relationships are the most important part of your life, and the most important of your relationships is with God, a broken dish seems inconsequential and you recognize the driver who cut you off as someone God loves.  A disagreement becomes a discussion, an opportunity to practice compassion and promote understanding rather than a need to change another's mind or get your own way.

Unpleasant events are a given in life, even when we think we don't deserve them, and no two people will ever be in complete agreement on all topics.  A planned positive response from a heart focused on relationships yields better results than a knee-jerk reaction stemming from a mindset of getting my own way.

"to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing humility to all men." Titus 3:2 (NKJV)

Your mother knew what she was talking about when she told you to think before you speak.