LIfe Keeps Getting In The Way Of My Life....

I have plans.  I always have plans.  Problem is...my plans keep getting interrupted by real life.

See this tire?  This is not a real tire; this is what's called a "donut" - a pitiful excuse for a substitute tire designed to replace a real tire if the real tire goes flat.  (We all know real tires never go flat.  They are constructed with aggressive tread and radial plies - angled less than two degrees rather than the standard bias ply biased at 45 degrees - running sideways across the tire from bead to bead.  Our tires have greater flexibility, a lower aspect ratio and greater resistant to puncture.  They aren't supposed to go flat.)

So, you can imagine my surprise when Sheila called, late last night, perched on the side of the road with a flat tire. (Her parent's basement had flooded in the monsoon that dumped 11 inches of rain south of Indianapolis. She had spent two days helping them carry everything out of their basement. She almost made it home before the tire blew.)

"You'll never believe this.  I have a flat tire."

Rats. "Where are you?"

"Somewhere south of South Bend."

Rats. "Are you OK? Are you off the road?"

"I'm fine. The tire is flat. I got the car way off the road but it is really, really flat. Do you think AAA will come here and help me? I can't drive at all."

Rats. "Let's get AAA called and go from there..."

Life is fraught with unexpected encounters with bile and putrescence. Sometimes you are surprised by unforeseen circumstances. Occasionally a bolt-from-the-blue blows up your plans or an unexpected revelation messes with your mind.  Whatever, it means your agenda is suddenly changed.

It happens to me.  It happens to you.  It happens to your pastor's wife.

Most of the time it is nothing more than a flat tire, but too often it is far more serious. An astonishing blow can flatten you; betrayal, attack, lies, illness, loss or death can derail a person.  Sudden disappointment can bring a serious set back.

So, what do you do when things don't go the way you expect?  How do you respond when you don't get your way? What if real life keeps getting in the way of your life?

Here's what I strive for in my response to unexpected problems.

First. I try to stop and remember what matters most.  What happens to me isn't as important as what happens in me when something happens to me. I remember I need Christ's help for a Christ-like response.

Second. I strive to pray something like this: "OK Lord. I don't like this. I didn't want this. But You are God and I am not. I don't know how You plan to bring good out of this, or how You'll ultimately redeem this for Your purposes, but I know You will. So show me how You want me to respond, what You want me to say and where You want me to engage, so I can serve You as You earth heaven and bring up there down here."

That's what I do.  What do you do?

Romans 8:28  - "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

(Oh. You'll be glad to know Sheila had the flat replaced with the spare tire "donut" and she got home safe-and-sound. Whew.)

Comments

[Becky Hunter]

So glad Sheila got home safely! Sorry about John and Elly's basement flooding--that's even worse than a flat tire! Hopefully your family's trauma quota has been met and the future will be filled with dry basements and tires that have a greater flexibility, a lower aspect ratio and greater resistant to puncture! (I love that.)
Bummer we aren't still in London, Sheila could have take the "tube" home.
Love you guys!

[Jim]

I really love your prayer. Sometimes I stomp my foot first. It's just that kid in me, I guess.

[Tia Chapo]

This blog was EXTREMELY helpful to me, recently a kink was thrown in my life that was completely unexpected. All weekend I have been asking God a lot of questions, and everytime I start to question what is going to happen, I find things like this..

Thank you Mark for your prayer, I plan on praying this for the next few nights, hopefully it will work!

[Deb Doran]

Your pray for unexpected life events really HIT home for me. Two weeks ago today when returning to my home from volunteering/church in "Under the Sea," I walked into a flood in my home. A pipe under the kitchen sink some how came apart and my home was filling with water! I just moved into my home in 2/08 after remodeling and painting and now it's a construction site again; I am at a hotel. And, then the hail storm hit last Sunday and as a result I need a new roof, gutters and helmets. I just put NEW gutters and helmets on in MAY!! So, I have faith that God must have a reason to completely redo my home again. Guess it was the color or something!!
So, it is what it is and I can't change it. I keep praying and asking for strength to be an effective project manager for this unexpected project in the middle of my daily responsibilities and work. Thank God for GCC to keep you humble and supported!!!

[jordan 1 flight low]

I know only that what is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after.What do you think?