Now I actually wasn’t so much frustrated as I was concerned
that the project itself wasn’t something the Lord really wanted me doing …. At
least at that particular time.
Usually when I have one of these moments, instead of getting
frustrated, I’ve learned to simply stop, sit down and have a talk with God. The
truth be told, that was something I should have done before I started the
project in the first place. In any event, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a
story I had heard many years ago. The story goes like this.
There was a poor widow who had two sons. Now she was
consumed with their success, and feared that they would fail. One sold
umbrellas and the other one sold fans.
Each morning, the first thing she would do is run to the
window to check the weather. If it was raining, she would sigh and say, “Oh,
me, no one will want to buy fans today. It’s going to be cool.” And, if it was
sunny, she would fret and say, “Oh my, no one will need an umbrella because
it’s not raining.
This went on for many years and it was really taking a toll
on the widow. One day a friend said to her, “Listen, if the sun is shining
someone will buy a fan and if it’s raining, someone will buy an umbrella. The
weather is always changing so someone will always buy one or the other.”
Many of us allow the conditions around us to control the
attitude that is in us. In other words, It’s what’s out there that controls
what’s in here’
That’s Wrong Thinking! We have things backward. When we are
“in Christ” we need to go to Him and ask Him to fill our hearts with
thanksgiving and joy for all that we have “in Him.” We have all of His promises
available to us in His Word. And if we accept them, rain or sun, come what may
– God is in control and will give us what we need.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 tell
us to “Rejoice always and to pray without ceasing.” Not just when things are
going the way we want or expect but even when situations are just the opposite.
It boils down to simply this. We have the choice of either being unhappy and
frustrated and miserable or being happy, content and confident that God has
control of the situation and though things may seem all shaken up, His hand is
on the shaking.
