Learn to Just Look Up and Smile

I've probably written this in the past but my favorite view or paradigm of God is God the Father.  I think God has a great way of raising us.  He knows when to instruct.  He knows when to step out of the way let us learn some lessons on our own.  He knows when to test.  And best of all He has a great sense of humor while He is doing it.

I'm am going to relate a story of my day so far but I want to make clear I am not doing it to say "Hey look at me, look how great I deal with this stuff".  That is not the intent.  The intent is to share with you how God has worked in my life and a lesson that I have learned from Him.

I happen to believe that the more open we are about our faith and the more we share it with others; God will occasionally  give us opportunities to prove that we really believe all of that stuff that we say.  In other words He will test us.  Are we just giving lip service or do we really believe. 

I am blessed with a very flexible schedule.  The church that we attend has multiple campuses and so the message is pre-recorded each week.  When the regular camera person isn't available then I am often asked to fill in.  Today was one of those days.

As I arrived at church and am walking across the parking lot I drop my iPhone.  When I picked it up I could see that the back was shattered.  Now I had a decision to make.

On the one hand I could get all bent out of shape and let it ruin my day.  I mean come on, I'm here at church on a Thursday morning helping out and this is the thanks I get?  What the heck?

Or I can just decide right then and there that in the greater scheme of things it is pretty inconsequential and no big deal.  I can look up and smile and say "Thank you God for giving me a chance to prove that I do believe what I say".  Which do you think I did?

Then shortly after I get home from church the electricity goes off.  Now that is really inconvenient.  I am watching my grandson at noon and I had a bunch of stuff "that had to get done" before he arrived.   Without electricity I have no computer, no internet, no phones, and nothing is getting done.

So again, twice in the same day, I have a decision to make.  Get upset or just trust God.

Which do you think I did?  Trusted God of course!  And because I did, God has blessed me with a great day.  I took Rico to the park and got to play with him.  Pushed him in the swings.  Took him down to the stream and let him walk in the water.  All in all, pretty cool.

And what about that stuff that "had to get done?".  God has a better handle on what needs to get done and when than any of us do.  When He steps in with a different plan for the day than what you started with, just go with it.  If you do I believe you will be truly blessed!