We'll See .....

Once upon a time, there was a farmer in the central region of China. He didn't have a lot of money and, instead of a tractor, he used an old horse to plow his field.

One afternoon, while working in the field, the horse dropped dead. Everyone in the village said, "Oh, what a horrible thing to happen." The farmer said simply, "We'll see." He was so at peace and so calm, that everyone in the village got together and, admiring his attitude, gave him a new horse as a gift.

Everyone's reaction now was, "What a lucky man." And the farmer said, "We'll see."

A couple days later, the new horse jumped a fence and ran away. Everyone in the village shook their heads and said, "What a poor fellow!" The farmer smiled and said, "We'll see."

Eventually, the horse found his way home, and everyone again said, "What a fortunate man." The farmer said, "We'll see."

Later in the year, the farmer's young boy went out riding on the horse and fell and broke his leg. Everyone in the village said, "What a shame for the poor boy." The farmer said, "We'll see."

Two days later, the army came into the village to draft new recruits. When they saw that the farmer's son had a broken leg, they decided not to recruit him. Everyone said, "What a fortunate young man."The farmer smiled again - and said "We'll see."

Moral of the story: There's no use in overreacting to the events and circumstances of our everyday lives. Many times what looks like a setback, may actually be a gift in disguise. And when our hearts are in the right place, all events and circumstances are gifts from a wonderful heavenly Father.

               Righteous Response vs. Rude Reaction

Unlike the farmer in the story I spend much of my time reacting to situations around me and coming to conclusions that are based primarily on fear or unreality. In so doing I end up negating my faith, disappointing God and raising my blood pressure.  The scriptures teach us that if we are Disciples of Christ everything happening to us comes through the hands of a loving Father.  That means …. Everything.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.  (Rom 8:28)

If I love God and have accepted His purpose in my life, He has already seen what I’m going through and woven its impact with everything else in my life to produce a beneficial outcome.

It is not abnormal to feel bad when I perceive that bad things are happening   to me, just as it is normal to feel good when I think ‘good things’ are happening.  Yet to conclude what is happening to me is good or bad, I would have to know the future, not just the little part of time I’m experiencing. Like the farmer our happiness should not be based on whether we see this as good or bad; but rather that God loves me, so; .We’ll see.

If I could see through God’s eyes instead of my own, my perspective of what’s happening to me would drastically change.  Situations can look great or seem terrible but that doesn’t mean they really are. Because I cannot see the future I cannot know whether whatever is happening to me is good or bad. He sees the end and that is why I react one way and God reacts differently.

I quickly react to most situations and cry out; “Isn’t this great” or “Isn’t this terrible” when God quietly says…. “We’ll see”. This is evident in the life of Moses and others who followed God.  

Moses’ life was much like the Chinese farmer having his share of troubles. Yet remember; we can only see a portion of the progression of events not their finality. We (at the time) cannot see the future and therefore cannot know how things will pan out.

Moses was born to the chosen people of God… Isn’t that great? … We’ll see.

As a result the pharaoh wants to kill Moses …. Isn’t that terrible?… We’ll see.

As a result Moses is picked up by his daughter to be raised in the palace and can use his position to deliver the Israelites … Isn’t that great? … We’ll see.

 As a result, Moses after trying to do just that, loses everything and goes into exile … Isn’t that terrible? … We’ll see.

As a result Moses found God and delivered God’s people … Isn’t that great? … We’ll see.

As a result God’s people took advantage of their freedom and rebelled against Moses … Isn’t that terrible? … We’ll see.

As a result Moses was given the Ten Commandments …. Isn’t that great?… We’ll see.

                                   Staying Connected

 If I stay connected to God when things happened to me, I would be able to hear him say to all my fears ….  We’ll see!

Yet I am actually called to go further than the wise farmer. I am not to just remain passive and say … We’ll see… I am to believe that whatever comes, there will be a blessing in it.  I am to believe that if I seek to please Him with my whole heart in all things; that everything coming into my life comes with a gift from a loving and all powerful Father.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Heb 11:6)

         Righteousness not Reactions … Glory not Grief

How I perceive whatever happens to me also determines how I will respond to the person or circumstance.  If I only use my natural senses to try and determine what I’m experiencing I will not be able to see … the unseen truth of God’s omnipotence and love.

Looking back on my life, I have spent far too much time reacting to people and circumstances before I considered how God would have me walk in His righteousness. He is currently teaching me with each confrontation and each circumstance to … pause and reflect. That in each confrontation and circumstance I should give Him glory… and not grief.

If I don’t trust God’s love in whatever I’m experiencing there is a great chance of me responding badly to it. Yet, if I were to deliberately choose to believe in God’s ‘hidden blessing’ no matter what I’m currently experiencing, I would be freer to respond in a more positive and charitable way.

I am so ready to quit acting like a carnal reactionary flesh ball. I desire to start being righteous and start giving glory (not grief) to God. I believe that practicing faith in God’s omnipotence and love will actually strengthen me to respond in righteousness and not react.

Our father Abraham revealed the way to face circumstances when they look bleak or even impossible. We must face them with faith in the promises of God. The belief rooted in God’s all powerful goodness toward us who believe; no matter what we feel or what we face.

And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  And therefore "IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS."             (Rom 4:19-22)