What Do I Do When Life Gets Yucky?

Book Club Wednesday

Am I Messing Up My Kids...and other questions every mom asks

By Lysa TerKeurst

Sow a thought, you reap an act; sow an act, you reap a habit; sow a habit, you reap character; sow a character, you reap a destiny.--Author Unknown

So, has life ever gotten yucky for you?

Those of you who have had the flu virus recently, I'm sure it got yucky!  We had it in November and starting with Mark and ending with me, it hit all of us in a yucky way.  And Mom and Dad are always the ones (sick or not) to clean up after everyone.

The author of this book, Lysa, was sharing a time when her daughter had the stomach bug and she got sick every 20 minutes all night long....at one point they just sat in the tub because Mom was so tired of cleaning up the mess.  Her daughter at one point asked why God wasn't healing her even after she prayed.  Lysa assured her that God would heal her after all the yuckies got out of her belly.  So they decided to pray...and listen to what her daughter prayed:

"Lord thank you for this most wonderful day.  Please help me to stop being sick.  But most of all thank you for this most wonderful day."

That little girl saw God's goodness even in the midst of her yuckiness.

I have to say, I'd like to be her when I grow up because when life gets yucky to me, I get yucky right back.  And that doesn't do one bit of good.  That isn't working so well for me.  So I really needed to read this chapter on focusing on the Goodness of God even when life may be not so great.

We've all heard the verse from Philippians 4 Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!

(In my whiny voice) But it's so HARD to rejoice when things don't go the way I plan.  It's so HARD to rejoice when I am not in control of everything.  It's so HARD to rejoice when I don't get my way.  It's so HARD to rejoice when the kids are misbehaving, and I'm tired, and I have a lot of chores to do, and we didn't finish school, and John's going to be late AGAIN.

This verse means that God likes to hear us say out loud exactly the opposite of what we feel like doing.  So instead of complaining or being anxious, or being frustrated, say and think of the things that I am truly blessed with and thankful about.

"If I choose to rejoice, not in my circumstances but in the Lord's ability to handle what I can't I invite God's peace to invade that moment."

Why does it take me so long to learn that I can't handle it all?  That I don't see things from God's perspective?  Why do I forget that God has a plan, and I need to get with His program and not try to push Him into mine?

Be gentle.

Know that He is near.

Pray.

"Thank you God for this most wonderful day.  God, will You rid my heart of the yuckies of doubt, discouragement, and stress, and help me to be filled with You?  But most of all God thank you for this most wonderful day."