How's That Working Out For You?

Children are very apt to become angry and pouty when they don’t get their way.

One instructional strategy I’ve found to be very effective when a child doesn’t get his or her way is saying, “You get what you get and you don’t get upset.”

This week, I heard a quote that made me think of that strategy. The quote says,

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got.”

How do those two relate? If you are doing something wrong, and you don’t like the results, well, you’re going to get what you get, so don’t get upset.

And how’s that working out for you?

How are you managing with doing what you’ve always been doing and getting what you’ve always been getting?

If you’re great- if you’re totally happy- then, well, I guess stop reading. But if you want a challenge, one that I am personally working on, then read on.

Are you down in the dumps? How’s that working out for you?

Are you wallowing in self pity? How’s that working out for you?

Are you overwhelmed with anxiety and worry? How’s that working out for you?

Are you harboring feelings of anger? How’s that working out for you?

Are you ignoring a brother or sister in Christ? How’s that working out for you?

Are you in an overall state of discontentment? How’s that working out for you?

My friends, if none of those things are working out for you, then it’s time to change your thinking. Change your mind. As Martin Luther said,

“You can’t keep evil thoughts from coming in your head, but you can keep them from staying there.”

It’s time to change your mind! It’s time for me to change my mind!

When you encounter a hard situation, when you feel the need to be cruel to someone who is different than you, when you are worrying, I think we need to be honest with ourselves.

As a speaker in chapel said this week, so bluntly and honestly...  if we encounter something or someone we don’t like, it’s time to SUCK IT UP!

That sounds blunt and harsh, but it’s true! Read 1 Corinthians 16:13-14.

When we walk limp, when we focus too much on our own misery, self-pity, and unhappiness, what are we accomplishing? Change your mind! Do everything in love! Declare what God has done for you! See Psalm 96:34.

Declare His love for you! Even your enemies! Even those who treat me wrong.

You ask,

“What if they don’t accept me?”
“What if they don’t like me?”
“What if they are mean back to me?”

I say, SO WHAT?!

I can hear some of you saying, “Gee whiz, Dylan, you’re being harsh.” These aren’t my rules. These come from God, who calls us to love with an unconditional love.

God challenges us to live as He has first loved us. Share what He has done. To value what is valuable.

 Do everything in love! Don’t be a wimp! Don’t be a whiner! Don’t be shallow!
DO SOMETHING because of what God has done for you!
GET IN THE WAY!

God loves you! Why not live that way?! Why not treat others with the same love?!

God believes in you! I do too!