RELIGION: Surprises await you

Have you ever turned a corner and come face-to-face with an unexpected situation? Surprises are often just around the corner and can be a real shocker. Here are several examples of surprises I faced.

Doctors, nurses and my mother told us that our first baby would be a boy and we chose the name Ronald; but surprise! Darlene was our first child and generated a change of plans. Once when I took my car in for an oil change, the transmission decided to malfunction; and surprise! At the end of the day, I had purchased another vehicle. In June of 1970 I reported for work at the Boeing Aircraft Company in Seattle; but surprise! I had been laid off -- along with thousands of others. In October of 2009 I learned that my father had some form of cancer between his shoulder blades; and surprise! Four months later Dad died.

Surprises are part of life -- some we like, some we don't -- and we can get bent out of shape if we have a negative attitude. Therefore, in the end it isn't the surprise that determines our attitude or our future; the determining factor is our response to the events. So I wonder what surprises await us in 2023. Or maybe I should ask, what will our attitude be in the midst of the difficulties that surely await us?

"Attitude" is defined as disposition or posture and originally referred to the physical posture of a statue or of a figure in a painting. "Attitude" is also used in other fields such as engineering and science as it relates to, among other things, geometric forms, geological formations and aircraft. Attitude in psychology is "a mental state or posture, a settled behavior reflecting feeling or opinion."

The vertical attitude of massive geological formations informs us of earthquakes, which, of course, leads to discussions of geological faults or tectonic plate movements. But the vertical attitude of an F-35A fighter jet is a display of power being transformed from jet fuel to pressure, propulsion, motion, sound, vibrations, heat, etc.

When humans encounter a positive surprise, we normally don't think of our attitude. It's when we face a negative surprise that our attitude is sometimes colorfully displayed. And like the F-35A, we often generate pressure, sound, vibrations and heat. We also display physical or emotional abuse and generate damaged relationships. Why do we react that way? It's because of our fallen nature. Most people are controllers to some degree and normally act civilized. But when we feel that we've lost control of the situation, our true nature is displayed. Through anger, fear and power plays, many folks attempt to regain control. But the negative or hostile reaction further erodes the situation.

We understand that to do our jobs and fulfill our responsibilities we must control situations and environments at work, home and in public to some degree. That's not the issue. The issue is our response when we lose control or are about to lose it. How should we react or respond if our presidential candidate loses the race? If we lose our job? If we develop a terminal illness? If we are in an auto accident? Anger and immaturity only make things worse.

The way to improve our attitude is to have internal peace of mind; we must be secure. We don't lock our cars or houses by thinking of them being locked. We must get locks from a manufacturer or vendor and personally lock them. Likewise, to become personally secure, we must appropriate peace of mind and security from a source outside of ourselves. The only source who can provide the security we need is our manufacturer: God. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust the Lord with your entire life, and don't rely on your own insight; in all your planning put God's desires first and He will lead you." Isaiah 26:3 says: "You, Lord, give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you."

If you accept the security and peace of mind that only God can give, He will help you learn to develop the right attitude and responses when you encounter negative situations. And be assured, negative situations will arise in 2023 and we cannot simply "think" them away. Remember that a mature response can help resolve the issue.

May the Lord bless you this New Year as you allow the peace of God that passes all understanding to fill your whole life. HAPPY NEW YEAR, friends.

-- S. Eugene Linzey is an author, mentor and speaker. Send comments and questions to [email protected]. Visit his web site at www.genelinzey.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.