{{item.title | uppercase}}

I am sure you have heard my mantra over the past few years:“I followed the ‘recipe’, why did life go so badly?”

At one point in my life, I even prayed, listing all my wonderful accomplishments for the kingdom! Is that really a prayer God wants to hear? “God, I went to Bible college. I even served as a missionary for several years in a foreign country! I married a Christian man and raised our children in the church. We even tried to have family Bible reading around the table when we could. God, how could You let these bad things happen to us?”

My husband had revealed some very terrible information he had been hiding for many years, eventually losing his job over it. His health was suffering because of it. Our lives were unraveling at break-neck speed. This was NOT the life I signed up for!

It was at this point of unraveling that my husband passed away. And more unraveling seemed to occur.

I kept reining myself back in with the reminder that I cannot actually find an example from Scripture where someone followed God and his life was on Easy Street. Not one.

During this difficult time before and after my husband’s death, I searched Scripture and grew in such a way I never knew possible in my faith. I found many examples in Scripture of people following God and bad things happened.

John the disciple may have said at least once, “This really wasn’t how I thought my life would be…” He was in exile on the island of Patmos. He was in isolation. He must have wondered, “Why?” and all the other questions we ask.

Are you on your own island of Patmos, a place where you never expected to be at this point in your life? Separated? Cut-off? Unraveled? I know the feeling.

Revelation 1 tells us that John was in the Spirit. Is it possible to be in the Spirit while I am where I do not want to be? Can I be in the Spirit while my life appears to be unraveling? When my world is spinning out of my control? Is it possible?

John goes on to say that he turned around. He had to turn from his current perspective and get a new perspective.

When I stop staring at my situation where I do not want to be and TURN to a new perspective, God uses me.

John may have wondered how God could possibly use him while he was essentially put on a “shelf”, left on an island to rot. But what we would have missed out on if John had left his eyes on his isolation instead of his opportunity.

We can miss wonderful opportunities when our eyes are on our unraveling instead of on our new opportunities.

Our lives aren’t like a recipe for some French cuisine – it is more of a casserole or a stew. There is a sprinkle of this and shaking of that, there’s some large chunks of something else and some pieces of this other thing. It may seem like random stuff thrown together in a pot, but in the end, when all the parts mix and run together, it is something wonderful we can enjoy.

We are so much more than just our widowhood. That is just one part of the life’s pot of stew. Let’s turn our eyes to a new perspective and worship God.

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus…I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said, “Write…” I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned, I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid…Write…”
Revelation 1 (NIV)

Father God, while I am where I didn’t want to ever be,

guide me to see Your plans for my life. Give me a new perspective.

Help me feel a fresh touch from You.

Keep me in Your Spirit on the good days and the rough days.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen