Align to His Protection

Have you ever wondered why something didn't go as you planned? Or why something that you truly want hasn't happened? Well, I encourage you to view and convert your "negatives" as positives. When you convert your negative into positives, you begin to change and reset your mindset. Sometimes what we view as "negative" is often God's protection over our lives. As I reminisce about the many times I once asked myself "why" , "how", or "how can it be", I think of how amazing and interesting God's ways are for our lives.

Sometimes, what we want or plan for ourselves isn't necessarily God's plans over our lives. Sometimes what we try to make out of some things isn't according to God's will. What can God do to make us realize, understand, or open our eyes? He will allow disappointment. To not have something go as planned, or as expected can be a blessing in disguise. A blessing that many try to "fix".

Think about a home without a foundation. Think about a building without a foundation. Without a foundation, a home , building, or any property will be prone to collapse. Is it possible to build a home without a foundation? Yes, and unfortunately many homes are built without a foundation although it's not advisable. Now think about trying to keep a home from collapsing, when it will likely collapse at some point. You may keep the home nice, clean, elegant, or however you plan. But without a foundation, the values from the inside, nor how much you try , and try to keep it standing ; it will fall! The home I’m describing is a real life home scenario in which a home will collapse at one point. The home metaphor is an example that will help you relate with what you may be going through in life.

Now think of yourself trying to make something happen or work. Think of yourself trying to get that job you applied for knowing well it's likely to be given to a person with seniority in the company . Think of yourself trying to make that car work although it's failing even after continuously taking it to a car shop. Think of yourself trying to get a point across a pessimist person who refuses to sit down on a table to communicate effectively. Think of yourself trying to make that relationship or marriage work although there's no emotional, mental, spiritual, or physical connection. And if there's any type of connection, you try to abuse a certain type of connection to maintain that relationship or marriage from ending. Think of yourself trying to overspend in a purchase knowing well you will suffer the consequences later.

I'm using similar life examples that you may or not relate with. If you don't relate with any of these examples, perhaps, these will help you connect with a personal example found within yourself that only you can think of. What you try to make a reality or try to maintain will likely fail without a healthy foundation, or any foundation at all. Oftentimes in life, we may think we've set a foundation to things, decisions, choices, and everything revolving around us. But, sooner or later, we come to realize we have built without a strong foundation that cannot lead to permanency, life long lasting, or life long satisfying experiences. When we try, try, try, and continue to try to make something work or happen, we are often going AGAINST God's will and plans of protection for ourselves.

As I jotted down thoughts and a map with visuals, I came to realize that people think of "FAILURE" when something doesn't go as they originally planned or expected. For example, I sketched many representations of people around me that have often said "Katherine, I didn't get the job!". That’s a common phrase I’ve heard many times. I will share some examples that connect with my reflections. I met a person that once didn't get a job she had applied for , and her frustration led her to going out for a drink as if the worst life event had occurred in her life. I remember telling her "Do you trust God?" as she replied "Yes". My message to her was "If you trust God, trust he shut one door to open one you've never expected.". Months later, she was hired as a Corporate Manager at a Bank.  There's also a friend I grew up with who was trying incredibly hard to maintain a car functioning through continuous repairs due to the memories it brought. That friend was persistent but also stubborn to purchase a new car. That friend once said "Why me!!!" on the phone as his car shut down on the highway. I remember telling him "Will you just learn to park the car, save it for its memories, and be open to the idea of having a new car with new memories awaiting?". He bought a new car and saved his memorable car in a garage where he prevented possible future accidents due to a car that wasn't safe anymore. I also have a friend that struggled many years to maintain a marriage next to her six children and an abusive partner. I remember the day she called me asking for help as she felt like she no longer could sustain the marriage despite doing everything she could. I remember her crying as she asked for prayer via call as I said "Will you just trust God if he removes you from a dark life experience and cycle as he heals you and brings his plans of goodness to your life  and your children in the future?".  I spoke about God’s plans for her life that didn’t include pain and suffering for a long time. That friend divorced after experiencing pain and abusive cycles for years. She healed and years later remarried to a man that treats her and her children as roses on a daily basis. There's also a friend I heard for over eight years as she complained about her relationship. As she complained, she expressed having great days, and days in which she felt sorrow for not encountering the "true love" experience she imagined for her life. I remember myself simply telling her "Are you afraid of starting again due to adaptation and comfortability to the point that you shut God up when he gives you signs to end it?". That friend ended her relationship when she felt ready. Today she is happily married to a man she met in church, had two babies, and is one of the happiest and loved women I can think of.

What some people view as a SETBACK or FAILURE can ultimately be GOD'S PROTECTION or BLESSINGS. Why must people often act like that child being addressed by his or her parents at home being reminded to put on a jacket prior to stepping outside in a 20 degrees celsius weather? Think about how God sees you. He sees you with love and unconditional care. Imagine God is simply trying to keep you warm before heading outside by putting a jacket on you as you continue to say "No, I don't want it". Imagine God is trying to get you promoted to a position you've never imagined by redirecting you in different routes that require pain and challenge, and you continue to say "No, I'm not ready", or "No, I'm okay, I've got this". Imagine God is trying to bring blessings into your life in whichever way you need them, but you continue to walk next to a friend , a colleague, or a partner that limits you, brings you down, hurts you, abuses you, and saddens you as your left with sorrow or dissatisfaction. When he tries to bring blessings to your life, you resist by being afraid of letting go of the person or the people you must let go of. Why? 

There are many "Imagine if..." scenarios or metaphors I can write down but none will compare to the real life scenario that can resonate with you best as you're reading this. God will often give you multiple chances, reminders, or push you to the extreme of feeling pain or disappointment as he's simply trying to speak to your spirit, change you , your life, and everything around you. God won't remove what you find precious to bring you emptiness, sadness, or pain. God will remove , change things around, and prevent certain things from time to time with the objective of bringing goodness, fulfillment, joy, love, and life long lasting promises over your life. Will you stop fighting God as if life is a tug of war battle with him? Will you stop trying to add a foundation to your home (the situation you're experiencing) when there's no foundation? Are you hurting yourself due to your fear of change? Are you hurting yourself due to resistance towards change? Are you preserving that old car as the example I shared due to comfort? Are you afraid of failure because you've been conditioned that certain life changes aren't what's best for you.

If you get a rejection letter from a university, a job, or other applications you've submitted.. is it over? Are there no other opportunities? Or are you limiting yourself to your options when God has something better coming your way. I encourage you to convert your negatives into positives. It's not a habit of ignoring reality, but instead of listening more to God and allowing God to redirect you. In life, I've learned to not allow the GPS (myself, people ,or life itself to guide me). I've learned to let go of that "GPS" that would've kept me with tied hands if I would've never learned to trust God and his lead. I encourage you to stop viewing God's protection over your life as your setback. Sometimes God's protection will feel and taste like rejection, failure, or disapproval at your logic and human mind. Sometimes God's protection won't be understood at the moment, until you learn to convert negatives into positives and learn that God always has a way. 

In Proverbs 16:9 , it says " The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.". Your plans as you attempt to manage the steering wheel of your car isn't always what God intends. Stop trying to control or manage the wheel all the time. Stop trying to force the car to drive forward when God is putting you in reverse, or force a U-turn to redirect you. Stop trying to tell God what to do in your life, when he's given you signs, a vision, and a heart that is trying to connect you with what he's been trying to do in your life. Try to TRUST more while FEARING less.