I had finally got my new computer exactly as I wanted it, with all the programs and data in place, when the screen suddenly froze. When it rebooted, I stared in dismay at the message on the screen: “Hard drive not installed.” What? I did what everyone else would do in such circumstances: I restarted the laptop, hoping against hope that the result would be different. It wasn’t. After many reboots, I resigned myself to the reality that my new computer was dead. Since I had bought it online, returning it wasn’t as easy as simply driving back to the store.
Life is full of unexpected difficulties, like the one I described above. It’s so easy to treat every setback as a major tragedy, even though it isn’t. When situations like this arise, how can we handle them so they don’t ruin our day?
Keep things in the right perspective. Rather than letting anger or fear take control, I try to take a step back and tell myself how serious—or not serious—a problem really is. To that end, I always tell myself things like, “No one died!” or “I wasn’t diagnosed with a fatal illness.” A dead computer is certainly inconvenient, but it’s no real disaster. To maintain this attitude, I also remind myself that God is with me in the midst of my problem and will help me through.
Keeping the right perspective doesn’t come naturally; it’s something I have to work at. Let me share another recent example. I was driving to a conference through a small town. A car tailgating me pushed me to go faster than I normally would (at least that’s my excuse). I was approaching an intersection when suddenly… flash! A traffic enforcement camera had gone off. I was quite irritated, and I sure wasn’t feeling grateful toward the driver behind me who had been so helpful in making me go fast! But instead of dwelling on the pain this would cause my wallet, I told myself that I hadn’t had an accident; I wasn’t lying in some hospital somewhere; it was just a speeding ticket and lost money. Costly, yes, but no catastrophe.
Pesky situations will always pop up and disrupt our day. If we’re not careful, we can let them grow much bigger than they really are, leaving us more stressed than the circumstances warrant. Life is too short for that! Yes, they’re inconvenient and painful (I still don’t have a computer as I write this), but I have found that when I keep them in perspective, the worry and anger associated with them begin to subside.
A favorite passage that has always helped me deal with life’s uncertainties is Philippians 4:6-7: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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That was a great article, Carol! I have had tons of frustrations having to do with faulty visuals I ordered online, all leading up to our vbs. One irritation after another. I let my focus stay on the irritations but next time I will ask God to help me with my perspective! Cherie
Thanks. It’s something I must continually remember, too. For example, I must bring my second new computer in for repair! One of the keys on the keyboard fell off. Keeping things in perspective is a perpetual lesson, isn’t it?