We've all been through difficult moments in life and some of us are probably in turbulent times at the moment yet there are times we have prayed to God severally to change the situation and it seems God does not answer our prayers. It would seem all our prayers fall on deaf ears and the weight of the world is on our shoulders. The thing is, God does not change the difficult situations you are in because he wants those difficult moments to change you. These challenging times are necessary for us to go through so God works in and through us. The situation might not change but changes your heart instead. Whatever God starts, He finishes. He won't leave you halfway with the trying times. "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6)
In life, I have learnt to let go of things I can't change but trust them into the hands of God. The things I can change, I change cause I have control over them. I have learnt and mastered the art of not letting things beyond my control trouble me or steal my inner peace and joy. I have also learnt not to allow people trouble my inner being irrespective of what they say or do to me. I may not be able to control what goes on outside but I can control what goes on inside of me. There are things you know you can change that are within your means or under your control to do so but when it comes to the things you can't change, the best decision you can ever make is to hand them over to God, trusting Him to take absolute control of it all. " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." ( Proverbs 3:5-5).
Some changes are within our reach in certain given situations but sometimes, laziness and procrastination prevents us from making these changes. Some of such changes could be new year resolutions made or certain goals to achieve. For instance, you wanna lose weight, it is within your reach to make the change in your weight but laziness and the lack of discipline prevents you from doing that. It could be making certain amount of savings every month but it takes discipline to overlook so many things and cut down your expenses to hit the target. It could also be deciding to read a book even if its an hour every day to make a discipline and sacrificing less important things for that. These and many more are some of the changes within our reach to make but do not give priority to. But when it comes to changes beyond your control, you just have to accept it, live it and trust God to bring the best out of the situation. God uses certain difficult situations to bring out the best in you.
You might not always be able to change external situations around but you can always change your attitude/reactions towards them. No doubt certain situations and people are unbearable but you decide how you react to such situations and persons. Instead of fighting it, feeling resentful, frustrated and unhappy, you can decide to accept it and look inward for hidden lessons to be learnt. Sometimes, the unpleasant situations is dealing with a difficult boss, colleagues, neighbors etc but doesn't mean you leave your job or neighborhood. Some situations and circumstances could be lessons you need to learn that will cause a change in you and also change the situation for you. By the time you realize you can't change certain situations, they stop bothering you and you stop being affected by such situations. You save yourself lots of stress and energy when you don't let certain negative situations affect you and somehow, letting things go and handing them over to God miraculously cause things to begin to change and improve.
WAYS TO NOT LET NEGATIVE SITUATIONS AFFECT YOU
VISUALIZATION : When you change your attitude and perception towards unpleasant situations, you become happier, feel better, recognise opportunities and lessons in difficult situations. Sometimes, we go through meseries in certain situations due to our perceptions and negative mindsets towards the situation but if we see the best out of every negative situation in our mindsets, then the best will manifest from that negative situation. " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8). Irrespective of the situation you find yourself in, learn to think of the good in that situation, hope for the best and the best will come out of it.
DEVELOP INNER PEACE : Inner peace is being able to remain calm and stable even in the face of difficulties or challenges. This can be developed when you try not to let the negative situations affect you. "Even in the dark times, even when death draws near, the mercy of God is always available to comfort us and grant us peace." (Luke 1:78-79). You develop inner peace when you free your mind of unnecessary thoughts, worries and anxieties of things you can never change. Irrespective of what may have gone wrong or that you failed in something, clear your mind of the negative thoughts and see you have peace within you. Things might not go as planned but don't let that affect your inner peace.
CREATE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS : Affirmations are words or sentences aimed at affecting your conscious and subconscious mind which in turn affects your thinking pattern, behavior and then actions. These affirmations are like mantras you create for yourself to inspire and motivate you to pull through life's difficulties. They relieve you of stress, worries and anxieties and keep your mind focused on the goal. Mantras or affirmations when repeated often and daily changes your thinking from the negative to the positive and in turn affect your reality. Such affirmations or mantras include;
Read : Create Your Kind of Happiness
God sometimes does not change your situation because He is trying to change your heart and your perceptions to certain things. You might be in an unpleasant situation right now, probably at work, in business, relationships or life in general that you can't change, so what do you do? The answer is simple, trust God to make things right. Put your heart to it and see how the situation changes you and makes you grow.
In life, I have learnt to let go of things I can't change but trust them into the hands of God. The things I can change, I change cause I have control over them. I have learnt and mastered the art of not letting things beyond my control trouble me or steal my inner peace and joy. I have also learnt not to allow people trouble my inner being irrespective of what they say or do to me. I may not be able to control what goes on outside but I can control what goes on inside of me. There are things you know you can change that are within your means or under your control to do so but when it comes to the things you can't change, the best decision you can ever make is to hand them over to God, trusting Him to take absolute control of it all. " Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." ( Proverbs 3:5-5).
Some changes are within our reach in certain given situations but sometimes, laziness and procrastination prevents us from making these changes. Some of such changes could be new year resolutions made or certain goals to achieve. For instance, you wanna lose weight, it is within your reach to make the change in your weight but laziness and the lack of discipline prevents you from doing that. It could be making certain amount of savings every month but it takes discipline to overlook so many things and cut down your expenses to hit the target. It could also be deciding to read a book even if its an hour every day to make a discipline and sacrificing less important things for that. These and many more are some of the changes within our reach to make but do not give priority to. But when it comes to changes beyond your control, you just have to accept it, live it and trust God to bring the best out of the situation. God uses certain difficult situations to bring out the best in you.
You might not always be able to change external situations around but you can always change your attitude/reactions towards them. No doubt certain situations and people are unbearable but you decide how you react to such situations and persons. Instead of fighting it, feeling resentful, frustrated and unhappy, you can decide to accept it and look inward for hidden lessons to be learnt. Sometimes, the unpleasant situations is dealing with a difficult boss, colleagues, neighbors etc but doesn't mean you leave your job or neighborhood. Some situations and circumstances could be lessons you need to learn that will cause a change in you and also change the situation for you. By the time you realize you can't change certain situations, they stop bothering you and you stop being affected by such situations. You save yourself lots of stress and energy when you don't let certain negative situations affect you and somehow, letting things go and handing them over to God miraculously cause things to begin to change and improve.
WAYS TO NOT LET NEGATIVE SITUATIONS AFFECT YOU
VISUALIZATION : When you change your attitude and perception towards unpleasant situations, you become happier, feel better, recognise opportunities and lessons in difficult situations. Sometimes, we go through meseries in certain situations due to our perceptions and negative mindsets towards the situation but if we see the best out of every negative situation in our mindsets, then the best will manifest from that negative situation. " Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is pure, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8). Irrespective of the situation you find yourself in, learn to think of the good in that situation, hope for the best and the best will come out of it.
DEVELOP INNER PEACE : Inner peace is being able to remain calm and stable even in the face of difficulties or challenges. This can be developed when you try not to let the negative situations affect you. "Even in the dark times, even when death draws near, the mercy of God is always available to comfort us and grant us peace." (Luke 1:78-79). You develop inner peace when you free your mind of unnecessary thoughts, worries and anxieties of things you can never change. Irrespective of what may have gone wrong or that you failed in something, clear your mind of the negative thoughts and see you have peace within you. Things might not go as planned but don't let that affect your inner peace.
CREATE POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS : Affirmations are words or sentences aimed at affecting your conscious and subconscious mind which in turn affects your thinking pattern, behavior and then actions. These affirmations are like mantras you create for yourself to inspire and motivate you to pull through life's difficulties. They relieve you of stress, worries and anxieties and keep your mind focused on the goal. Mantras or affirmations when repeated often and daily changes your thinking from the negative to the positive and in turn affect your reality. Such affirmations or mantras include;
- Because I place my hope in the Lord, my strength is renewed. (Isaiah 40:31)
- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens. (Philippians 4:13)
- God will do much more than I can imagine or think. (Ephesians 3:20)
- It's gonna work out cos I live by faith and not by sight.(2 Corinthians 12:7)
Read : Create Your Kind of Happiness
God sometimes does not change your situation because He is trying to change your heart and your perceptions to certain things. You might be in an unpleasant situation right now, probably at work, in business, relationships or life in general that you can't change, so what do you do? The answer is simple, trust God to make things right. Put your heart to it and see how the situation changes you and makes you grow.
Quote for the day - "If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow we aren't really living." - Gail Sheehy
Share Your thoughts !
0 Comments