Rest in the Glitches

A dear friend sent an e-mail detailing a cluster of troubles that have swarmed into her life all at once – computer virus, sick dog, car breaking down… It makes me think of what You’ve been teaching me about trouble, Lord. Talk about the perfect opportunity to sit down in the muck and say “Lord, I love You! Is there anything You'd have me do? If not, I'll just love You and trust this all to You.'

Sometimes negative events are the result of sin. But sometimes I believe they’re just the world ganging up on you, or there are bigger spiritual motives going on, like the story of Job in the Bible.

This last while, my response to glitches is to refuse delivery of the pain and anxiety when things go drastically wrong, and simply wait it out. It seems pretty passive - almost irresponsible - but I'm finding that when everything suddenly spins out of control, if I can remove my desire to care about the worldly consequences and focus on asking Jesus for His desires in my heart, then I can watch it play out with a level of detachment that's similar to watching a TV show or reading a book.

I can't always achieve this, but when I do, it's amazing how Jesus orchestrates and manipulates things so everything falls into place again.

Looking back at things historically, they have always worked themselves through and I’ve come out the other end – either back to the status quo, or in some different level of balance. But peace always returns in some form. So why let the transition period before that peace set me into a state of anxiety? My goal is to refuse! I accept that I can’t fix things or change things anymore than I can change the course of the story line on a TV show or in a book. Eventually this chapter will end and I’ll see what God’s outcome is.

Doesn’t Jesus say, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt 11:29-30

But I can’t do that in my strength, Lord. My security isn’t in my bank account, my safety, my health, or the stability of those I love. My security is in You and You alone.