Alas...last week got even better when I failed my motorcycle endorsement course. Whoops. I failed because I wiped out on the last day. Okay, okay "wiped out" may be too strong of words. But basically I took a turn too tight and too fast, the back wheel spun out, and the bike fell on its side...and on my leg. I'm fine!!! Just got some nice road rash, couple of bruises, pulled a muscle or two, and might have shattered my pride.
So how do I deal with failure? Not very well. I don't like to lose. Don't like to fail. Don't like being told no (It's funny how low self-esteem and pride go hand-in-hand). It's frustrating when you have plans and they don't work out exactly as planned. Like planning on driving a motorcycle but then failing to earn the license. Sad day! Or perhaps planning on attending Biola University in LA. Or maybe going to Australia to Hillsong College. Or recording a demo, putting it on the internet, getting thousands of fans, and scoring a record label. Funny how life doesn't happen the way we mapped it out when we sat down at our kitchen table 5 weeks ago. 5 months ago. Maybe 5 years ago.
In the book of James we're directed to not boast about what we're going to do tomorrow or where we're going to go.
James 4:13-16 13 Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. (NLT)
Jeremiah 17:7-8 7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. (NLT)
No matter where I go I know God's going to bless me as long as I remain in His will. As long as my roots are deep in His waters no matter what is thrown at me I'll make it through. Failing a driving course, failing to write a song every week, failing to score a label, failing in a relationship, failing to do everything exactly as I have planned isn't going to make me fade away. My roots are in Christ. My hope and confidence is in His will for my life. When droughts hit me, I'll stay strong.
So I know I've been talking about my future plans a lot...I'm a college student, it's what we do. But I need to more readily realize that I don't need to focus completely on the future and what I'm going to do or what I want to do. He'll open and close doors. So hopefully my blog posts will stop being about knowing or not knowing my future and start being about what I'm going through right now.
But yes.
Thanks for reading my ridiculous and crazy thoughts! I so appreciate all the love you show. Knowing you read my blog makes me feel fuzzy and warm inside. :)
Jeremiah 9:24 24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken! (NLT)
Hey, I just wanted to share a little encouragement. This week in my youth group, we discussed prayer. I taught my youth that prayer is not us asking God to do what we want, but inviting God to do what He wants. When you begin to pray in that midset and with that attitude, you will find that you are not disappointed with the way things turn out as much. Instead, you are encouraged by the fact that God has something much better planned.
ReplyDeleteI hope that helps! It helped me recently as I was working on my future plans.