What Will We Do With It?

Happy Friday Friends!

I hope & trust this post finds you all having a great day as a glorious new day begins to dawn in my Sweet Home Alabama! :)

Last week I dealt with a situation with a colleague to which I had a very emotional response. The situation, which I had no control over, really bothered my heart & spirit. I felt great compassion for this colleague and I wanted to do everything within my power to make what had been a great wrong, right. As I recognized, thought & prayed about not only this situation but also my response to it, I came to realize that the strong conviction I felt about the situation, and my resulting steps, were born from the fact that I had once experienced almost the exact same thing. As I thought about and pondered this, this Happy Friday was developed in my mind; we all have struggles, trials, setbacks, challenges, problems as well as blessings, gifts and opportunities. The real question however is, "what will we do with it?"

There are two things, or ways of looking at things, that I would like to address this morning.

1. Our messes can become our messages. We live in a fallen, broken world and with this, bad things do happen. People do terrible things to each other. Each and every one of us has problems and challenges. The question is not whether or not challenging times will come; the real question(s) is what will we do as we walk through these storms and, perhaps more importantly, what will we do with the lessons learned from these trials. Some become bitter, some become better. Ultimately, what determines whether we become bitter or better is our response after the storm has passed.

Why do some experience failure and quit, while others experience failure, dust themselves off, rise and achieve levels never before imagined? Why do some face crippling physical challenges and thrive while others face relatively minor physical ailments and wither and wilt? How come unimaginable things happen to some and beautiful ministries of love & service are born from them while others are constantly looking to be offended by even the most minor of offenses?

I don't propose this morning to have the answers to any of these questions. I just know it is true. While I would never wish any bad thing happen to another, I do know from countless examples and testimonies that the situation or circumstance does not have to define us and that great good come can on the other side of the challenge, setback or trial. 

This morning I simply pray that you and I will have great, unbreakable, faith as we face our trials, that we will learn from each and every experience - good & bad - and that we will have great compassion & understanding to use whatever hurts/challenges us to love, care for and serve others. The bad things of this life do not have to define us. We can choose a different path. We can choose what was perhaps an attempt to break us, to strength and help another hurting soul. 

2. We are blessed to be a blessing. While most of us talk about and live from our "valleys" we don't seem to give near as much thought or attention to our "peaks." Just as it is true that we all experience challenges, setbacks and trials, it is also true that we all have great blessings, opportunities and mountain top moments. What do we do with those?

Just as I don't believe our messes are meant to define but rather can be a message to the world, I don't believe we are blessed with talents, gifts & abilities simply for our own benefit.  Our time, talents & treasures can be a blessing to another soul on their life journey, if only we will let them be.

Here is a thought for us this morning; While neither our messes or blessings define us, our response to them does. They are the legacy we will leave. You and I get to choose how we will respond to each and every situation & circumstance. I pray through each one - good or bad - that we will grow better, that we will learn & grown and that we will use whatever comes our way to better love, care for and serve others. That right there my Friends, would be a life well lived! :)

Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.

Have a great day, a wonderful weekend and please cherish your precious families.

Kev