We're 43 days into the new year and it seems my personal theme is already forming: REACTIONS. So far in the first 6 weeks of 2009 I've been threatened, falsely accused , betrayed, lied about and cheated. The circumstances are varied and the outcomes haven't all been determined. Yet, I know God cares about me .  But I also know He cares much more about how I REACT  to my challenges than how they are resolved. 

For example,  just last week, a co-worker fabricated a huge untruth about me and tried to get me fired. Thankfully, my boss recognized the falsehood and my job is intact. But, this co-worker wasn't even reprimanded for the havoc they created. And I still have to work with this person. Now, I'm sure God is the One who protected my job when this whole situation flared up. But, He didn't exactly resolve it the way I wanted Him to. I want vindication. But Jesus wants humility. I want retribution. But God wants my co-worker's soul.

And so, I surrender my reactions to God.

So many times Jesus allows the hard times in our life to cause us to come to terms with the attitudes of our heart. Through difficult circumstances and life's injustices we look inside ourselves and  realize how proud or selfish we really are.

One day, I hope to have enough of Jesus on the inside of me that I react like David did when his enemies were rising up against him: "But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.." Psalm 35:13

What about you? How have your reactions been lately?