Thank God It's Friday

Have you ever had one of those weeks? You know the kind that you were just glad it was over? I think its safe to say that if you have lived any length of time on this planet, you fit into that category. We all have those kind of weeks from time to time. My week this week was one of those weeks. Without going into detail, let's just say it involved a Volkswagen, spewing antifreeze, overheating, and a freeway with road construction and closed off exits. And that was just Tuesday.

Navigating through one of these weeks can be pretty difficult. One thing after another hits you and you are left standing there wondering what in the world is going on. In the middle of it all, we can get frustrated, upset, and completely stressed out. Of course, some of us handle life's inconveniences better than others, but truth be told I don't think any of us truly enjoy them.

I think one of the reasons we struggle with life's unplanned challenges is that it leaves us feeling as though we aren't in control. Let's face it, we like to be in control of things. We like it when things go as planned and life goes on without any major inconveniences. But the truth is, cars break down, cable goes out, people drive slow in the fast lane, we get sick, the kid's puke all over the floor, friends and relatives die, the neighbor has a party until 3am, and traffic lights turn red. If you live life, you'll experience days, weeks, months, and even years that you wish you didn't have to experience. Scripture tells us that it rains on the just and the unjust. It also promises us that in this life we will have tribulation. And the only control you have over it all, is how you react to it.

Some blow their stack, others throw pity parties, some feel victimized, some panic, while others look for ways to escape or ignore it all. None of which changes anything at all. Bad things happen to us all and the only healthy way to deal with it is to deal with it. Sometimes life's challenges are bigger than we are and require God's intervention. That's when our response needs to be prayer mingled with faith in a God that answers prayer. Then there are those struggles that hit us that just require us to jump to action.

The other day when my car began spewing antifreeze all over the place and overheating and the closest exit to me was closed due to construction, and there was no shoulder to pull over on, I began praying that the car would not overheat and cause damage to the engine. As I watched the temperature gauge, it literally began going down. I was able to drive another couple miles until I could exit without the temperature doing anything but going down slightly. Once I exited though, some action was required on my part. Had I screamed, hollered, and kicked the car, I would have done little to remedy the problem (although it might have made me feel better at the moment). The action required was to get it to a repair shop. Problem solved. Life's challenge overcome. Meeting life's challenges head on, whether it's with prayer, action, or both, is the only way to overcome the problem.

Naturally, some of life's struggles involve things much bigger than a car overheating. And as I mentioned earlier, some require God's involvement. We serve an awesome God who promised us that we wouldn't face anything in this life that we would be unable to handle with His help. Believe it or not, God wants us to live victorious, overcoming lives. When this life throws challenges our way, God wants us to face those challenges with the confidence that we can overcome them. God created you to overcome this life, not to allow this life to overcome you. Trust me when I say, that overcoming challenges in life is an exciting way to live. It starts to make you look forward to life's challenges. Sure, we often thank God it's Friday, but I truly believe that the place God wants us to get to, is when we can say, "Thank God It's Monday!"