It's How Things Go

I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me;
and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.
(Philippians 2:23-24, NRS)

I went home to pick up some needed items for work. When I attempted to leave home, I was informed there would be a huge delay due to road construction. I chose to wait at home.

It’s how things go . . .

When I ventured out again, I did not see anyone and left home. Within less than a minute, a pilot car followed by cars, trucks, and school buses headed towards me in the one open lane. They did not stop but kept coming towards me.

It’s how things go . . .

I squeezed into a neighbor’s driveway as the pilot car passed me. The driver informed me that I would be faced with oncoming traffic if I continued on. I waited for twenty minutes, less than a minute away from home.

It’s how things go . . .

I finally made it back to work. Construction workers, positioned by my office window, were busy jack hammering the side walk. The loud hammering made it difficult to work. Turns out, I did not have time to go back home to finish a work project due to . . . hmmm . . . construction delays!

It’s how things go . . .

We tend to rate life through circumstances. In reality, our response to how things go determines how we live our life.

The Apostle Paul announced Timothy would most likely travel ahead of him: I hope therefore to send him as soon as I see how things go with me;
and I trust in the Lord that I will also come soon.
Paul wrote to the church at Philippi from prison waiting for a trial. He planned on sending a personal message through a representative, updating the people on his situation. That said, there were many challenges in sending the news, including dangerous travel conditions. It's how things go . . .

Paul’s value of life did not depend on his circumstances—including prison, trials, or dangerous travels. He determined to respond through the presence, power, and peace of the abiding Spirit of God, summed up at the end of his letter:
And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19, NRS)

Evaluate how things are going . . .
Be satisfied through the Spirit of God, rather than in the right circumstance.
Celebrate regardless of how things go today!

Learning with you to live through the Spirit rather than how things go,
Kerrie
(All devotions written by Kerrie Palmer ©2007 All Rights Reserved)