How do you handle a crisis – a grievous wrong against you – a frustrating medical challenge? Do you react or respond in tough situations? There is a difference!
>> Reacting is impulsive – responding is intentional
>> Reacting is out of emotion and fear – responding is out of love and respect
>> Reacting is short-sighted – responding sees the bigger, long-term picture
>> Reacting is immediate – responding is delayed
>> Reacting is irrational – responding involves self-control
One writer sums it up this way:
A reaction can be a knee-jerk reflex, an immediate action, often without thought or preparation while response is like pressing a pause button and taking a minute to allow God by the Holy Spirit to gather all the factors, and to evaluate them in such a way that the right action is taken. Responding is allowing God into the situation. It allows for spiritual wisdom and insight and even intuition. It’s important for us to learn how to respond rather than to react in order that we can be fruitful in our lives and live God’s way.
You’re holding a cup of coffee and someone accidentally bumps into you, causing it to spill everywhere.
Why did you spill the coffee? “Because someone bumped into me.”
Wrong answer. You spilled the coffee because there was coffee in your cup. If there had been tea in the cup, you would have spilled tea.
Whatever is inside the cup is what will spill out.
So, when life shakes you up, whatever is inside you will come out.
It’s easy to pretend everything’s fine until you’re shaken.
So, we have to ask ourselves, “What’s in my cup?”
When life gets tough, what spills over? Joy? Gratitude? Peace? Humility? Anger? Bitterness? A victim mentality? A tendency to quit?
Remember LIFE gives you the cup; YOU choose what to fill it with!
Jesus Christ indwelling us gives us a calm spirit to respond rationally and with respect so that we bear spiritual fruit. Many times, it is seemingly impossible but in Jeremiah 32:17, the prophet says, “We believe that you made the heavens and the earth by your great power and your outstretched arm. And that nothing is too hard for you, Lord God.” So we pray boldly for things that are impossible apart from you.
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