[su_dropcap style=”flat”]H[/su_dropcap]AVE YOU EVER been through a major life change? Well – maybe not even major, but some change that prompt friends to ask, “How did it go?” I’ve been asked that by many of my friends. When a major change takes place in life, friends you’ve confided in want to know “How did it go?” and what else can we say except, “It’s different.” That’s a good place to start. I saw a book once titled, Change is Good. You Go First. That about describes it. Sometimes change is forced on us and in those times, change doesn’t seem all that great. Right? Other times we make a decision that changes the landscape of our lives and we think this change is good, we hope this change is good, then we wonder … it’s different. No matter which description fits the situation, the one thing we can control is our attitude. Chuck Swindoll has a famous quote about attitude and in it he says, ´I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.” So how did it go? It’s different, but it’s good, the possibilities are ahead, as are the consequences. So right now our best choice is to have joy and remember – we are never on the path alone. – God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
When change comes, we have to accept it, because it’s our new normal. It’s reality. We could fret over what we no longer have or we can begin the rebuilding process and start the remanufacture of our life from a different vantage point. When I was in my early twenties, someone wisely convinced me that change is neither good nor bad, it’s only different. It took awhile for that to sink in, but it’s become my survival mechanism. Here’s a little free advice. “Focus on what you have, not on what you’ve lost. Capitalize on what you can do, not on what you can’t.” I know it works.
Are you going through changes now that are exciting and you anticipate better days ahead? Or do you approach each day, tenuously out of dread or even fear for what lies ahead? Either way, when change comes, it means adjustment … day-by-day, moment-by-moment. Ask yourself how can I get through these moments and come out the victor instead of the victim? You might not want t to hear this, but it starts with Attitude. You might come to the starting line kicking and screaming, toting a long list of disadvantages and (gasp) even grievances. Acknowledgement is good. Bring that list along because this is where making adjustments begins. First in attitude, then in thoughts, then in actions, and finally in acceptance. Change is neither good nor bad, it’s only different. ´I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.”
We might not be happy, but we can have joy. Happiness comes from the external; those situations that we perceive as good give us happiness. But happiness can be shattered in an instant, or it can fade when circumstances are less than optimistic. Joy on the other hand comes from the inside and is unaffected by the beating we take by those things that cause us despair. I was having a bad spell in my life a while ago and on one of my ‘least optimistic days’ someone said to me that I was the happiest person she knew. Well huh! Mission accomplished then, because at that moment, I was anything but happy. It must work then . . . We can fake happiness by choosing to be joyful. In that moment, when she said I was the happiest person, I prayed right then and thanked God for masking the unhappiness I was feeling at that time, so that happiness looked real.
What can we all do today, regardless of our circumstances, to make a big production of our joy? Think it, act it, believe it!
Psalm 30:5 [God’s] favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:11-12 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever.
Psalm 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Ecclesiastes 8:15 So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.
Lynn, thank you for your kind words. You are an encouragement. I don’t for a second take you for granted. Thank you for taking time to read and write a response to my articles.
Jane, your articles are always enlightened to the soul.
Danny, you made me laugh right out loud. Since we are about the same age, I’m going to guess that while you were policing neighborhoods and keeping people safe, I was running away from a writing career. When I was 10 years old I told my mom I wanted to be an author. I’m sure you know how the conversations went after that. Anyway – I have always loved writing, but would never admit it until I realized I could have a blog. I could write in private and if anyone noticed, it would be OK, but not a necessity. As a result I believe at last count after 3 years of blogging I think WordPress told me I have 375 subscribers. LOL Clearly while you were in enmeshed in your police career I was not doing any writing – and the numbers reflect it.
I’m glad we can have these conversations online to share experiences and encouragement. That’s really what it’s all about. Thank you for your encouragement.
Where were you in my police career Jane? Your sage advice and knowledge of Scripture would have saved me a lot of anguish.