When life throws an unexpected event that is somehow out of your control: How do you respond? The Word tells me not to fear and worry, but everything within rages against this. I do not understand why I react the way I do when first blindsided by news beyond my control, or when events happen because of that news received, relationships changed, life taking a new direction, but I can somewhat understand when Paul stated in Romans 7:15 – 25 (see below) about doing what he hates to do.

15I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.^[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

This sinful nature of ours is at times a source of those unexpected events and at times it’s just part of the natural course of life. I can’t say that I always understand why things happen as they do, but do know that through my trials and tribulations good has come from them. A stronger commitment to my Lord, more boldness, a growing Love for my Savior, more knowledge, greater understanding, and such are usually the result. Along with these a desire to minister to others experiencing the same pain continues to grow. These trials also bring dissatisfaction with life that I used to wrestle against but am now beginning to see that this too is placed here for a reason. This dissatisfaction brings a deep desire to do something, bring a bit of hope to the hurting, helpless, unloved, abused, and sick people in this world we live in.

How will you respond to your unexpected life events? I challenge you to choose to focus on helping others around you, in spite of the pain that is raging inside. Now I am not saying ignore the feelings, but am saying to choose to focus those feelings and pain on making this world a better place for all. Choosing this route brings joy in knowing that someone else has regained something that was lost due to your help. Choosing to rehash over and over the thoughts that rage cause harm in many ways. So what will you choose?