Recently I had an extended conversation with myself (Yes I talk to me) about some things I went through over the years. Looking back, I can see where some people did things that really hurt. And in some instances, they didn’t hurt so much as they ticked me off. No they pissed me off. I will say it—like I felt it (trust me there is a point to that). Because everything we go through adds to who we are. But it is our choice to determine what contribution our pain and hardships will make to us. We can let them remain as they are or we can turn them into something beautiful.We can cry, whine and complain or we can look for solutions to change the circumstances. We can become angry at people or we can realize that most hurting humans are aching so badly themselves, they have become blind to the impact they have on others. We can become bitter or we can decide to learn from what we experience and let it make us better people.
We can complain about the _ _ _ _ in our lives, or we can thank God for the richest fertilizer know to man. We can use it to create a greater harvest in the tomorrows of our experience.
As I was commenting to me about these things, I told myself to think about the person I have become. Case in point, a few weeks ago, I was experiencing significant car problems. Driving up a hill one night, in the middle of a major rain storm, my car just stopped. There was such calm and peace in that car. Not one moment did I feel frustrated, anxious or fearful. I knew that God was overseeing my life and as a resident living IN HIM, my car was in HIM too. And sure enough, over the next few weeks everything came together. (Hebrews 13:21)
I would have never reacted in such a way were it not for the growth that had taken place in me. The internal state of my mind was shaping the external circumstances. There was no worry because worry had no established PLACE IN ME. (At least not about this issue!)
So now I can thank those people. I can show my appreciation for whatever hurt they caused me. I can continue my gratitude quest. Like Joseph said to his brothers, “You meant for the things you did to me to result in evil consequences in my life, but God let you do them so that he could turn it around for my INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL GOOD.” Joseph grew beyond his pain and who he became was as important as what God did through him. (Genesis 50:20)
Yes, when it happened, Joseph was hurt (and I’m sure he was pissed off to). But later on, he recognized how the pain of betrayal became the fertilizer of promotion.
So the next time people “be trippin” — remember that God is at work in you. He will not stop until it is finished. (Philippians 1:6) Make the decision to become better. Use the _ _ _ _ as fertilizer. Let it increase the size and strength of your harvest. Joseph sure did.