It All Matters

I have my trumpet issues, or "items" as I like to say, my family items, my church things, etc. Each area tends to have it's own little life. Maybe this compartmentalizing of our lives was born out of the structure of our public school education. First period was science, next, social studies, gym, French, band, Latin, algebra, etc. I did well in some, and miserable in others. Success and failure were only separated by mere minutes as the bell rang and we were off to either triumph or trauma. My high school days were usually lived in a state of exuberance followed by exasperation. Unfortunately this view of life continued well after graduation. Some items were important and mattered while others were ignored. How many hard classes would we rather just skip?

One of the neat things we've been learning recently is probably what should have been learned long ago. Call it Life 101. Sadly some basic things have taken most of a life time for me to begin to grasp. My life as God sees it is not all divided into subjects, nor is it to be micro-managed by me. He has been revealing his deep affection well before those days of algebra and band. My day is all about his attention on me for the purpose of me acknowledging his hand in life's every detail. It is in these details, good and difficult, that He shows His gifts and implanted abilities. He is the teacher of faith in his contant working in symphony rehearsals, teaching of students, living with family, and learning to live with difficult scenarios. Sadly it is so easy to turn a blind eye to his plans as they are unfolding in our daily routines.

This is not to say that life centers around our success and comfort. It's not about getting all A's, but growing to trust Him when the best we can do is a C. His will doesn't center around our lives, but our lives are made for His will. He doesn't fit into our world, but we are brought to participate in his plan for the ages, a much bigger and better picture.

The lesson that is slowly being learned is that it all matters. All that comes our way has its well-intended purpose, and is orchestrated for our best as it fits into God's ongoing plan. It is not about what I can control, what I prefer, what I like or dislike. He is conforming us to Christ and he is using all the events of my schedule to draw my attention to Him. When that begins to sink in, it is supernaturally reflected in our responses to all of our items in life. We have been signed up for those irritating classrooms to develop our trust in Him, and to strengthen us for the rest of life in His plan. From his perspective, all of our items are good, and they all matter.