Look at It Another Way
Perspective is everything and sometimes we’re involved in unfavorable situations that lead us to other opportunities, opportunities that may or may not have come if the unfavorable situation didn’t happen.
For example, there was an opportunity where I had to serve in a place, but when I arrived to the opportunity, the leadership was disorganized, so I and others got overlooked in many different ways. Of course this situation brought feelings of disappointment and discouragement. But, I’ve come to find that there’s sometimes a saving in being overlooked, and it provides other opportunities.
Because I was overlooked, I was able to meet other amazing people and serve in other ways that I would not have been able to do, if I had not been overlooked.
Whether you’re involved in unfavorable situations that lead to other opportunities, that may not have come if the unfavorable situation didn’t happen, one thing is certain, perspective, elasticity and flexibility is key.
As you know, people will disappoint us. People will overlook us and react in ways that we wouldn’t and it can lead to offense. But one important thing to realize and understand is that in order to live a full and genuine Christian life, we have to be quick to forgive. Just like a rubber band is elastic and can be stretched and put back in its original form, God needs us to be elastic. We can’t be easily offended.
“Bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”
So, if you are let down by other Christians or co-workers, friends, your spouse, etc, allow the Holy Spirit to give you perspective about the situation. Maybe God is allowing the situation to challenge you to change you; maybe God will lead you to someone else to meet in that environment that you’re in, that you would have never met if you hadn’t been treated differently; or there can be many other reasons too.
Whatever the situation, perspective, elasticity and flexibility is important in the life a Christian. To really be used by God, we must be resilient, able to take hurt, we must be people that pray to get through mistreatment and we must allow the Fruit of the Spirit to pour out of us in spite of what we experience- good or bad. That is real Christian living.