How many of you have taken a trip to the beach, laid out your towels, and soaked in the warm sun? All of a sudden, a gust of wind comes out of nowhere blowing little pieces of sand particles straight into your face. That little piece of grit irritates your eyes and frankly puts a damper on your lovely beach day. What if instead of huffing and puffing to the closest public restroom to wash out your eyes, you have a different perspective on how this little irritant interrupted your day? On your walk to the restroom, you may have seen an ice cream stand, which is a perfect treat in the intense heat, or maybe you saw an old college friend you’ve been meaning to call. It can be easy to fall into the frustrations of an irritant, but it can be just as easy to find those little blessings along your new trajectory.
Take that very same grit of sand, the source of irritation in the eye, place it in an oyster, and something wonderful starts to form. What begins as an irritating annoyance is transformed. The insignificant grit of sand has become a valuable pearl.
That irritant in your eye is exactly the same as the one in the oyster. The difference is in the response, however. Scripture is clear that God allows tribulations in our lives. Jesus said, “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.” John 16:33
Now most tribulations don’t come close to sand in your eyes. But we can remember God is in control of our lives, and we can be transformed by those tribulations when we trust God’s process. When we let go of control and hand it over to our Maker we tend to be more present with those we love and serve.
Prayer
Lord, give us strength and wisdom when we endure tribulations. Sometimes it can be difficult to find peace and beauty in hard times but help open the eyes of our hearts to receive your bountiful blessings. Amen
Brenda Jank and the Run Hard. Rest Well. team are thought leaders in the arena of Restorative Wellness. Find additional resources at www.RunHardRestWell.org. Contact us at: Brenda@runhardrestwell.org
Wow! So true. There are irritants in this world, but putting them into perspective, they irritate, they annoy, but they don’t do much else. It’s like the mom who tells her family to put up their shoes, but it doesn’t happen. Surprise!!
I find that my irritant are so horrible, but they bring me into prayer. I’m trying to learn to bless and not curse, and it’s hard. I have a choice. I can stare my aggravation into submission (that never works), or I can look into the Beautiful Face of Jesus. Irritant? Jesus? Will I remember and look up?