Know Who You Are

No matter how hard you might work to control details, life will never move exactly as you planned. There will be unforeseen circumstances, emergencies, uncertainty, and interruptions to derail us (almost sounds like a typical Monday, doesn't it?) Any amount of life experience will affirm this truth. What we have to determine is our personal response when this inevitability occurs.

Coping skills and adaptability are admirable qualities that help in these uneven times and can certainly guide us down the right path. These can be learned to a certain extent and should be strengthened as much as possible if we expect to be overcomers. I think the longest lasting success is found in something much simpler and more foundational: our identity.

If I am clear about who I am (son of the King, husband, father, friend, pastor) I won't allow these other events to pull me away from that. In fact, it's by reminding myself of the importance of who I am trying to become that helps me fight selfishness, anger, and stupidity. There's no guarantee I will always remember this, but hopefully I can see the value in maintaining the integrity of my character instead of responding flippantly to current circumstances. Don't let life's fluctuating events decide who you will be, but let your identity decide how you will respond.

Uncertainty

There will be many times in our personal and professional lives when we are unsure of what to do next. We will be in new parenting territory, dealing with unforeseen medical issues, struggling through financial difficulties, preparing for job transitions, and in uncharted relationship waters. The amount of change we are facing may seem overwhelming and we can become desperate as we search for the right answers. We may become overly anxious as we look for the exact right thing to say and do that will make everything better. The truth is that we may not be fully equipped to handle the situation in the "best" manner. Obviously, as a man of faith, I have confidence that God will fill in the gaps of my imperfect nature, but that doesn't negate the need for personal responsibility and action. It's in these uncertain times that I advise people to:

Do the best you can, where you are,

with what you know, and what you have.

This is not a perfect formula for immediate success, but it really is the best that we are able to personally invest at this point. Accept the position that you are in, prayerfully consider the abilities that you have, the sum total of your experiences, and then make the best decision possible under the circumstances. There's no guarantee that it will be the right one, but you can have confidence that you have done the best you can if you follow that simple model. Hopefully we'll learn from this particular experience enough (both the successes and failures) to help us in future circumstances.

Unpredictable

I love March Madness. There is a thrill to the national tournament that rivals any other postseason sporting event. Some athletes will step into the spotlight and become part of tournament legend while others will wilt under the pressure of expectations and millions of viewers. There will always be a upset or two as some favored team under-performs and an underdog makes all of the right shots. It's exciting to watch and (almost) impossible to predict with 100% certainty. In fact, I believe the unpredictability is one of the most compelling factors to the NCAA tournament's success. No matter how much the experts believe they are right there will always be some games that defy logic and expectation.

I think this is attractive to us even though our brackets might be affected because the uncertain outcomes don't really have an effect on our lives. Unpredictability is enticing to watch from a distance, but much less pleasant when it directly involves our personal lives. The thrill of the unknown is compelling as long as it doesn't change what we have to deal with ourselves. We'd rather watch it and enjoy a second-hand thrill than have to figure out how to adapt when our own world gets turned upside down. It's the difference in being a thrill-seeker/risk-taker and a voyeur.

The Best

"I'm doing the best I can!"

We won't ever be completely prepared for what life brings us. We won't have all of the knowledge we think we need to accurately process what's happening. No matter how much experience we might have we won't be able to predict the future with 100% accuracy. Even when it seems like we are making the right decision we can't guarantee that the consequences and benefits will unfold how we hoped. This unpredictability is a factor of life.

What I do know is that I can continue to do what I know is right as I am guided by God. I can put my trust in Him above all other things and continue to do the very best that I can in this moment. I can deliberately decide to keep doing what is right and trust that my God (who sees & know all things) will make all things work out for the good of those who love Him. My cry of "I'm doing the best I can!" doesn't have to be one of exasperation, but a confident claim in God's ability to work through the most fulfilling and most trying of my circumstances. It means that I will continue to do the best I can right now and trust that God will reward my faithful intentions.

There is a life-affirming value in bringing our best to the One who is the best.