When you hear the term upside-down, it most always refers to some kind of mess. A bag of flour turned upside-down means a broom and a mop. When mom comes home and the house is turned upside-down somebody’s in trouble. A grocery bag turned upside down means apples and oranges all over your trunk. A roller coaster turned upside-down means a place to throw up! Seriously, things happen in our homes and we often make much out of nothing. But, what happens when your life suddenly and unexpectedly turns upside-down? What happens when everything goes from normal to a “new” and not-so-familiar normal? How should you respond?
Pray without ceasing
The first response should always be to pray. While it is true that nothing catches God by surprise, it is also true that many things catch people by surprise. So, resting in the knowledge that God is aware of your upside-down world should give you some sense of peace. But honestly, it oftentimes does not. Prayer WILL change your perspective. Here’s what prayer might not change……your circumstances. That’s right. God promises to be with you in the midst of circumstances. He doesn’t promise to erase them. Oftentimes God allows circumstances to invade our lives so that we will refocus on Him and His purpose for us.
Give without receiving
Live life. I’m very confident that upside-down living also means giving and not receiving. When you give to others your focus is on the needs of others and not your own. By nature, people are generally selfish. They want for themselves and frequently forget about others. Therefore, giving without receiving is very difficult. Jesus knew this because He told us it was better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Is it easy? Nope. Is it normal? Nope. Is it right? Yep! I’ve found that when you give to others you are more like Christ than at almost any other time.
Live without conceding
Never give up on what you believe God is going to do with your life. We all have dreams and self-imposed goals in our lives. What is it that God desires for your life? I’m a firm believer that God uniquely created people specifically for certain tasks for His kingdom. What is that task in your life? What is it that God has created you to do? Winston Churchill said, “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” Maybe God continues to impress on your life some things that might not make complete sense. God doesn’t always make sense to us when our world it upside-down. That is where faith takes over. Faith is acting on the assurance that God is absolutely and undeniably working out things for His good in our lives. Are you living without conceding or are you giving up?
Maybe there IS a reason
Interestingly enough, many of you are going through seasons of difficulty and uncertainty that you’ve never faced. Realize that you are not alone. Perhaps God is working in you to do what He did in the early church. Paul and Silas were preaching about Jesus in Thessalonica and were part of a group of believers who were turning the world upside-down. Just maybe God is turning your world upside-down so that you can turn the world upside-down with your unquestionable faith in Him as you share His amazing word with everyone you meet. Pray, give, live, and rest in God’s love, favor, and design for your life!