Why Had I Just Changed The Ringtone?

“Oh no!” Was the cry that came from my lips when I fumbled with my phone.  I finally realized that it was in my pocket and frantically tried to answer the call.  Sadly, I was too late.  My gloved hands had not opened the slippery phone quickly enough.

To make the matter worse it was my sister.  Having her live so far away is a challenge.  I can’t call her – she can only call me – which makes me feel awful every time I don’t get to my phone.  But why tonight of all nights?  I’ve been hoping for a call before I leave for Asia next Saturday.  One more pep talk and encouragement before flying across the ocean.This leads to the question… “why?”

“Why, Lord, did I not make it fast enough?  Why had I just put my gloves on?  Why had I just changed the ringtone?  Why, why why?”  I find that I become very self-centered very quickly.  It is not my intent to be always thinking of myself – but I do it so naturally.

When asking ‘why’, He basically gave me the answer “why not?”  After all, He is in control.  He leads and directs our lives.  It is not that He wants to punish me for something by letting me miss my sister’s phone call, just that He will allow it to build character.  At the moment I am learning to be joyful in everything.  Giving thanks evermore.  After all, that is the will of Christ Jesus for you and for me.  He just wants us to trust Him.  He wants our wills to bend towards His.  I am learning that.  It’s not always easy and it’s not always fun but the one thing I’ve always found it to be is freeing.  When you let Christ be the Master of your mind, life, and soul, you will only seek to see His heart in whatever it is that you are going through.  The principals of giving thanks and of surrendering our questions and wonderings to His sovereignty are things that can be used wherever and whenever.  If you really rely on Him and trust that His plan is better than yours, life is one adventure after another.  You no longer have to worry about what, when, how, who… just listen to the Father and do nothing but what He tells you to do.