Hebrews 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
The way we view an event makes a big difference in how we deal with it. We have seen multiple events in the last couple of years that are seen very differently by different people. And the accompanying reactions tell the story.
For one group these stories are Chicken Little events, the sky is falling! For them, nothing could be worse that what happened. And they seem to get spun up at a moment’s notice when the events are brought up. They are paralyzed by fear, anxiety, and dread.
For the other group, these events are a normal part of life. There are ups and downs in life, and these events are just part of that up and down cycle. These people seem to be able to ride the storm with relative ease. They are not fearful, anxiety laden, or filled with dread.
What I have found, is that there are people in both these groups that cross political, social, and religious spectrums. They are not confined to one particular identity. Their ability to see events from different perspectives gives them an advantage in life.
Our text gives us an encouraging directive: see hardship as God’s disciplining, training hand in your life. Every event can be used by the LORD to mold and shape our character in Christ. Both positive and negative events have the power, when placed in God’s hands, to move us on toward maturity in Him.
But we must choose to see the hardship from this perspective. And this can be very difficult when confronted with an extreme event. Life and death moments tend to overwhelm our resources and send us into our default coping response. In that moment, we don’t have much input in how we respond. Our response is automatic.
So, we must train our response before the event comes. We do this by viewing the small, daily events that irritate us as discipline. We become used to viewing the everyday as opportunities for the LORD to work on us, on our character, on our reflection of Him in the world.
I have to admit, I am still working on this one. I still get thrown off my game when small events happen, like getting cut off in traffic. But my goal is to respond with an eternal perspective continuously in my life. This is practical holiness.
I am much better at viewing life’s interruptions as moments of discipline when I am in a leadership role. I seem to rise to the occasion and stand tall. And in that moment, I know it isn’t me that is standing, but Christ in me.
We can choose to see events from different perspectives. I want to encourage you to view the hardships that come your way as God’s hand active in your life. He may not have brought that hardship, but He will use it for His glory and your eternal benefit.
He is at work! We are His children. He cares for us. He is active in our lives and in the events that happen. He will use everything to mold and shape us more completely into His image.
Will we view life from this perspective?
The Arnold Journey 