(Be sure to see the previous posts to
get the context of this article.)
Let's take another
example where focusing on the truth can help. What about general
dissatisfaction with life circumstances. The truth of Scripture is
that God is working all things together for good if you love him and
are called according to his purpose, (Romans 8:28). God will not
allow you to be tested above what you can handle, (1 Corinthians
10:13). God determined in advance where you would live and during
which time period, (Acts 17:26).
Many aspects of
your circumstances are or were not under your control. Other
circumstances are a result of previous decisions you made. At some
point you decided to go to college or not. You decided to marry this
person or not. You accepted a particular job or changed your mind and
took another one. All of these decisions are in the past. Some of
them can be changed. Many of them cannot. But that is where the
frustration comes in, isn't it. We want to be able to go back and
change them. One of the truths of the world is that time moves only
forward and you can't go back and change a decision to a different
one. All of the mumbling and negative self talk isn't going to change
any of it. So after you know that truth, you must accept it and act
accordingly.
Maybe there's a
way to change your job situation. You can put your resume out there
to see what God brings along. You can move to a different part of the
country where it may be more to your liking or where there may be
more jobs. Those things you can do.
You cannot change
many of the things related to your physical condition. But you can
make healthy eating choices. You can exercise more. You can quit
smoking. However, some results of past decisions will stay with you.
Now I'm not saying
to take on a defeatist attitude. “I've made so many bad decisions,
I'll always be this way.” That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying
that there is a lot you can do about the way you think and the way
you approach life. So don't waste time and emotional energy on the
things you cannot change or complain about the truths which serve as
boundaries in life.
Finally, let's
take a moment and look at worry about the future. Nothing in the
future has happened yet and therefore isn't true. The Bible tells us
to plan for the future, to set aside food and supplies for a time
when things may not be going as well. But it also tells us not to
take on the cares of tomorrow today. God has said he would never
leave or forsake us, Hebrews 13:5. It also says that having food and
clothing we should be content, 1 Timothy 6:8. God says that he will
supply all of our needs, Philippians 4:19. So when you begin to
worry, you need to tell yourself the things that are true. Tell your
soul to accept those truths and then make decisions based on those
truths. When you find yourself mulling over the fears of the future,
tell yourself to drop it and purposely turn your focus to other
things. If you have built a habit of worrying, it won't go away that
easily. You will find yourself struggling actively against the worry.
That is a good thing. Some people say they struggle with worry or
some other sin but what they mean is that it has the victory. The
actual battle comes when you stake your claim on God's truth and
refuse to submit to worry or whatever else might have gained a
foothold. It won't be easy. But God is faithful. He said he won't
allow any testings that you are not able to handle. Grab a hold of
that truth and let that be the starting point for victory.
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