Perspective

On February 3rd, a tragedy occurred in Moore, Oklahoma. Moore High School cross country students were out on their normal run at practice when a truck went off the side of the road and hit them head on. One student died on the spot, and later on, two students died in the hospital. There were three others that were injured but thankfully recovered. I still can’t imagine what the ones who recovered have faced. It would be painful to experience all of that first-hand and still have memories of such a tragic day. I also couldn’t bear to imagine what the families of those who lost their children that day have faced. Nobody ever would’ve seen this coming.

Since I went to Westmoore High School, this happened in the community I grew up in, and I saw the community completely broken over what had happened to these students on February 3rd. Nobody expected this to happen on such a normal day. In some of my previous blogs, I’ve discussed how life throws many curveballs. We really truly never know what tomorrow is going to bring. That honestly scares me a little bit to think about. I mean, we’ve seen it first-hand with the coronavirus. Who would’ve seen that coming? Not me. We have great plans for our lives, and then life takes wild turns that change our lives forever. You may have lost a family member, suddenly. You may have gotten in the car one day, not expecting the damage that was soon to come. The pregnancy test may have come back positive when you feel not prepared in the slightest to be a parent. You may have lost your job which is what your family needed to keep going. You may have had a child who’s life was taken away due to a reckless driver at cross country practice.

What makes many of us uncomfortable is the fact that we aren’t in control. We love to think we are, but we’re not. We never know what tomorrow is going to hold. A couple years ago, my friends and I got into a minor accident on the way to the movies. We were all perfectly fine but definitely shaken up. If we would’ve known that was going to happen, then we just could’ve called a rain check, but we didn’t know. It’s important for us to admit that we really don’t know what is to come.

I’m not trying to be dark but instead, I’m trying to put things into perspective for you. When we think we are in control, we live like there is a tomorrow. We aren’t nice to our family, friends and significant other. We constantly complain. We get worried about things that don’t even matter in the long run. We don’t make the people that we love feel loved. We worry about what other people think of us. If you knew there was no tomorrow, would you live like that? I don’t think that you would. I’ll tell you all a little something about me. I worry about absolutely everything. People who know me well can testify for me on this. However, if I knew that there was no tomorrow, the things that I worry about would have no power over me. They wouldn’t even matter. One year that I especially worried was my senior year of high school. I had the constant worry of getting into college, picking the right college, and getting the money for that college. I was so stressed. The future can be scary, and I wasn’t sure of what my future would hold. But this leads me back to the Moore students that were hit by the truck. Two of those students were seniors. I can’t speak for them, but if they were anything like me, they were worried about where they were going next in life. In an instant, all of that didn’t matter.

I’m definitely not telling you to just not care about life here on earth because through all the important work you do here, you can make a footprint and positive mark on this world. But instead, use this perspective to help you to live a better life. Don’t be short-tempered. Don’t worry so much. Don’t complain and be negative all of the time. Use this to help your mind to realize who is really in control. By believing the lie that you are in control, you are in for a life of disappointments, insecurities, and more heartache. You won’t rely on God through the hard parts of life because you will believe that you have it all taken care of. You will be down on yourself when you can’t carry it all. By relinquishing all of the control to God, you can breathe. You can face your battles, not feeling alone. You can make mistakes, and rely on God to navigate how to truly repair the mistakes you have made. If you truly know in your heart that God is the only One in control, even your relationship with God will improve. Take comfort in this verse. It speaks works of encouragement because we can be reminded the power of the One who is in control.

In whose hand is the life of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind? – Job 12:10

So why do we live like we are in control? Why do we worry? Why are we always consumed in drama? Why is it that all we want to do is complain? I think it is just because control makes us feel better. I have always been one that prefers to be the one driving the car if a group of people are carpooling together. This is because I feel the comfort of knowing that I’m in control. BUT the reality is that you’re not in control, and you need to start living like it. If you lose your job unexpectedly, remind yourself that God is in control. Instead of getting down on yourself, get back up, trust in God and keep living. You’ve got this! You only have one life to live, and you don’t know what tomorrow holds. SO live it, even when it’s hard. Remember the God that is bigger than you and that job that you lost. If you lose someone you love, try your best to rely on God through the pain. I know it’s hard. But know that you aren’t guaranteed that tomorrow either. So try to get on your feet, trust in God, and live like there is no tomorrow. If that pregnancy test comes back positive and you feel unprepared, don’t be scared. God is with you, and it is out of your control. Put your trust in the One who is in control. Be excited to welcome life, and love that child like there is no tomorrow. If you are facing a life-changing obstacle, stop worrying. Don’t be afraid. You can do it, with God. There is no need to worry, but instead, there is a need to invite God in to help you. Make the best out of whatever you’re facing.

When we perceive ourselves as being in control, we give ourselves too much power. We give ourselves the power of tearing down ourselves and others. Whatever you’re facing, realize that God is in control and not you. Let’s quit living like there’s a tomorrow.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. – Psalm 107:28-29