So life isn't really working out how I wanted it to...

So we’re half way through 2015. I’m sure most people had high expectations of this year; you know, the classic “This year I’m going to be a better me” or “In 2015 I’m going to lose 10kgs” or “Yes, definitely 2015 is the year I’ll stop smoking”. But then reality hits and you realise your resolutions may actually be very difficult to achieve (I mean cake is so darn good, how is a person supposed to say no to that?!) or maybe your expectations just haven’t been met.

Personally, this year has been nothing like I intended it to be. I honestly thought that 2015 would be this amazing year, I mean I’m in my final year of school, so obviously I would just love and appreciate every moment, right? Wrong. Then the school work and tests came knocking, marks went dropping and my brain went flopping (okay that last one doesn’t make sense, but I wanted to keep up the rhyme scheme :P hehe check me being all poetic…)
I went through a stage this week where I was really just so over it, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been that negative in my whole life! But you know what, God just reminded me that it’s normal to go through slumps and you don’t stay at the bottom of a hill forever, eventually you’ve got to climb up. Also, Ephesians 4:31 tells us to “get rid of all bitterness” , and so by only thinking about the things that may be going wrong in your life, you’re just setting yourself up for more hurt and disappointment. Instead of allowing the slump you may be in to get to you, we should rather just do something about it; after all, that hill isn’t going to climb itself!

I feel that many people, and Christians especially, have this idealistic view of life: that it’s going to be amazing and wonderful and nothing will ever go wrong. And I say Christians, because I’ve heard of so many people who think once they start following God, everything is just going to work out perfectly. But, the truth is, life is hard. God warns us time and time again, throughout His Word, that we will face trouble or even persecution, and that we will be mocked. 2 Timothy 3:12 even says, “In fact, EVERYONE who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”. It doesn’t say “Only Joe Soap will face persecution” or “Only Christians who don’t eat their vegetables will face persecution”. No, it says EVERYONE. I’m not English teacher, but I’m pretty sure “everyone” means every single Christian.

Now persecution may not necessarily mean being thrown into a lions’ den or being martyred or something. To persecute means “to subject someone to hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of their race or political or religious beliefs”. I believe persecution may come in other forms too, maybe subtle forms, but definitely forms that impact you as a human being. For example, maybe you have some friends who aren’t Christians and they never invite you out with them because they’re scared you’ll be a “wet blanket” or maybe they fear you’ll criticize what they do. Another form may be a fellow co-worker or peer that says hurtful comments about your Christianity, either directly to you or in a less direct manner. These are just two random examples, but I hope you get the idea.

The thing is, life isn’t easy and God doesn’t promise us that it will be. He does, however, promise us that heaven is going to be ammmmmmaazing (Revelations 22:1-5, 1 Corinthians 2:7-9) and Paul even says “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). Then Romans 8:18 says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Also, remember that it’s normal to experience slumps, but keep in mind that God will lift you through it. Isaiah 40:30-31 tells us, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  

Yes, life may not be working out exactly way that you wanted it to, but remember that God’s plan is bigger than our own. In addition, He hasn’t left us to deal with the struggles of the world alone. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.” How awesome is that! Life can be scary, and sad and sometimes you may feel weak or alone, but YOU have got the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE on YOUR side, watching over you, taking caring of you. Do you get how absolutely incredible that is? In fact, not only is God watching over us, but Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, “The joy of the Lord is your strength”. The true gift of knowing God and experiencing His glory gives us the strength to tackle any problem, to fight any negative feelings, and mostly, to give us the strength we need to make a change.

Lastly, remember, there is a difference between happiness and joy. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and so basically, it’s one of the characteristics that God wants us to show. Yes, joy is basically happiness, but I think it’s a lot more than that. Happiness is feeling pleasure about something, but it’s such a fickle feeling. I mean you may be happy that your rugby teams win a game, but then when they lose the next game, that happiness doesn’t really last. I’d say that joy is almost a more mature , consistent feeling of happiness. Rick Warren wrote, “Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in every situation.”

Life is very inconsistent, and it’s not guaranteed that you’ll always feel happy in it. But that’s why we need joy; that confidence that God is there and He is and will help you through it. Joy is that feeling of knowing that even though right now, things may not be working out, they will come right eventually. Joy is trusting God with everything and knowing He’ll work out everything for the best (Romans 8:28). If you battle with feeling joy, just remember that with everything in life, practise makes perfect; take it step by step. Pray and ask God to help you put joy into practise, then make use of opportunities to show and feel joy. For example, this is just random, but let’s say you have didn’t make the sports team you wanted to get into. Look at it positively: know you did your best and tried your hardest, and tell yourself and believe that God probably has another plan for you, maybe it’s to be in another team or maybe it’s to do something completely different, that doesn’t involve sport. Then don’t give up, persevere and allow God to direct your way up the hill to get you to the top on the best trail possible.

Now please don’t think I’m telling you that life is awful and horrible and that it’ll never work out right, because that is definitely not what I’m saying. It’s just that you may face hardship in life, and it’s important to wear the armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and be ready for whatever curveball may come your way. Keep smiling and stay strong, because you’re here for a reason and your life has a purpose far greater than you can even imagine. The question is, are you ready to fulfil that purpose? Are you brave enough to give complete control to God and allow Him to lead the way? Are you prepared to shine joy, even when life may be trying to burn that light out?

Just remember, John 16:33 says, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”