Complaining about life can easily become a habit. You probably know someone — maybe it’s you — who is an “Eeyore.” Remember the long-faced, lovable, donkey friend of Winnie-the-Pooh? No matter the joy his companions expressed, Eeyore only saw the dark cloud that was sure to follow.
“It’ll rain. It always does,” he would say with a heavy sigh.
Our attitudes are often similar to what Eeyore models in the Hundred Acre Woods. We may hope that wonderful things will happen, but maintaining positivity in a world darkened and broken by sin can be difficult. However, just as a coin has two sides, every situation we face comes with more than one lens through which to view it.
The Apostle Paul experienced first-hand extreme circumstances, most notably, persecution because of his new-found faith in Jesus Christ. If anyone had a reason to complain about their situation in life, it was Paul. In 2 Corinthians 6:3-10, the early church leader details beatings, prison sentences, facing angry mobs, and even starvation as part of his experience. His contrasting attitudes were purity, love, patience, and kindness, which Paul attributed fully to the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and work.
Paul declares a message can be found in our misfortune. 2 Corinthians 4:8-18 contrasts being “hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” He assures that our current misfortunes are momentary when compared to the glories of heaven.
When working to help middle school students with math, I often encourage them to talk through what they already know about the problem.
“What does the problem say?”
“It shows addition.”
“What’s the opposite of addition?”
“Subtraction.”
By verbalizing what they know about contrasting operations, students are usually able to identify the process needed to set up and solve a variety of questions. It simply requires the ability to see all the possibilities available.
As believers, our faith rests on the infallible Word of God. Determine to change your, “It’ll rain,” outlook into one expressing trust in God’s plan. Messages from our Heavenly Father can be found in every misfortune.
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