Grateful For The Lesson

    A while back I shared a quote that someone else had originally shared, it said 'Don't ask God why He's allowing something to happen. Ask Him what He wants you to learn and do in the midst of it.' Well, today I think I understand why it moved me the way it did. For a while a certain, very angering, situation has been repeating it self, every time I think I am doing well and getting ahead,  and being careful about it suddenly I will be set back again. This has been happening for years now. My typical response to this situation is to get angry at myself and take it out on whoever has the misfortune to speak to me, I know it's wrong and always feel bad about it afterwards, but until today I was never able to stop myself and think my behavior through before reacting.
       Today when I found out that the situation had happened again I started to get angry, started to lose my temper, and got mad at God, asking Him through tears 'Why does this keep happening? What else can I do! God why do keep allowing this to happen! Why do I have to keep going through this despite all my prayers and my efforts to be careful and obedient?' Then that quote popped into my head, and a story someone had shared on Klove months ago. I realized instead of questioning God, getting angry, and seriously throwing a fit like a three year child I should be asking God what it is He wants me to learn.
       When I realized this I was able to let go of my anger, in seconds I was completely calm, cool, and collected again. I prayed about it and now I realize that at least part of what He was trying to teach me by allowing this to happen over and over again is that I needed to respond better to the situation in the moment. I realize now that I needed to let go of my frustration and anger and think things through with a heart that was trusting the Lord instead of pouting that things didn't go my way.  I realize now that from the start I should have responded calmly asking God what I needed to learn, do or change, instead of lashing out.
       Now, looking back on things I am grateful. I know that probably sounds weird, but truly I am actually grateful for the lesson that I learned today and I wish I had learned it sooner so I didn't have to repeat it so many times. I am sincerely praising God that He is so good to correct me, that He loves me enough to teach me how He wants me to be and how He wants me to respond! This is one of the many beautiful things about our Lord!
       I hope you that if you have been feeling like I did today that you don't make the same mistake I did, I hope you will ask the Father for forgiveness because of your behavior and ask for the lesson in the situation instead of lashing out and having to repeat it so many times. I hope you can respond in love and trust, rather than anger like I did. I hope you will understand and remember that everything that happens, happens for a reason, and that God never allows things to happen to us that won't build us into better more Christ like people. When bad things happen give praise for the lesson and trust that God will use it to make you better and stronger I faith.

Psalm 7:17        
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 118:28        
You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18        
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

James 1:2-5
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you