How many times in your life have people tried to push you down, tried to make you drown in your circumstances? Or situations just doesn't go according to plan? This, happens daily with all of us, because we cannot control our day, even if we wanted to.
Buoyancy: The ability/tendency of something to float. OR a cheerful and optimistic attitude or disposition.
Have you ever tried to push a buoy under water? What happens? It jumps right back up.
How many times in your life have people tried to push you down, tried to make you drown in your circumstances? Or situations just doesn't go according to plan? This, happens daily with all of us, because we cannot control our day, even if we wanted to.
Take a moment and consider how you have handled these situations?
did it overwhelm you and you stayed "submerged," "without air," "drowning" in your situation?
maybe your thoughts told you, "off course this is happening to me, everyone wants to see me fail. I always attract bad luck and situations does not work out as I have planned. You then just accept the bad situations as your life lot.
did you become angry and started "fighting" against the situation or people trying to push you under? But you didn't fight to win, you just fought because "this is so unfair," "I will not stand for this injustice against me," "how dare that person think he can do this to me."
maybe you freeze, go sit in a corner and feel sorry for yourself? Then you tell everyone of this injustice for them to also feel sorry for you. You then believe everyone else should support you and give you sympathy because you deserve it.
There are many more ways we can react and it could be different for different situations. What does the Bible tell us about "bad stuff" happening to us in this world? The Bible gives us a few assurances that troubles will happen. (James1:2; James1:12; Rom5:3; 1 Peter 5:10)
Let's look at people from the Bible who lived with buoyancy and joy.
David: He was chased around as an innocent, hunted man a few times, but then he would come back with God's favour in his life and win battles. 2 Samuel 22:18-22 “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. “The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I am not guilty of turning from my God." David went through many trails - his own son chased after him - but think of the many Praise Psalms he wrote. And he danced before God with joy and song.
Paul: He was in jail quite often, but still He would praise God and do the work set out for him. He prayed for others and encouraged them while he was sitting in jail. In Philipians4:11-13 Paul says this: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."
The disciples: They definitely didn't have the easiest and comfy lives on Earth, but still they persevered and kept on spreading the good news despite their circumstances. They found joy in spreading the Good News and seeing people turn to Jesus. In 3 John 1:4 the apostle John writes, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
What can we learn from David, Paul, the disciples and many more Christians over time who stayed buoyant during and after tough times?
They trusted that the Lord is faithful and trustworthy.
They had the bigger picture in mind. As Christians, we don't live for this world and the now. Our aim is everlasting life and working towards that. So we keep our eyes on Jesus.
These people took the "self" importance out of the picture. People so easily want to believe that the world revolves around us and that God is there to make our paths straight. This is not true. God has a vision for the world and His people and we fit into His vision. We should start realising what an honour it is to serve God and have a relationship with Him. It is an honour to be accepted as a child of the Most High King and to play an important role in His vision.
They trusted the wisdom of God to lead them.
The only way Christians can "sink" with the world, is if we let sin break "holes" in our buoys. If we don't allow our sinful nature to control us and we live as winners in Christ, then nobody and nothing can keep us down. There is life and growth in following Jesus. God doesn't want us to live luke warm lives. His plan for us is to flourish, have life in abundance and be fruitful in what we do. He has good plans for us. When we realise these truths, and realise that we don't live for ourselves, it is easy to be buoyant and "pop" back up every time the world tries to push us down.
So let's take today and this new week on as buoyant people. People with a cheerful/ optimistic attitude during our trails and tough times.
Stay blessed.
Janine Nortjé
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