What is our response to misfortune?  Why me?  We try to do the right thing, make the appropriate preparation, and make the best choices based on “what we know at the time.”  So what happened?  Life happened.  As inhabitants of fallen world, we are not immune to the affects and experiences which life presents (Eccl. 9:12).  But while believers live “in the world”, we do not have to respond as the world when life happen moments occur.  We can take an enlightened view to our misfortune.

#1.  Remember our position.  We are not our misfortune.  Our hope and security lies in our position in Christ Jesus.  In Christ, we are heirs of God and therefore, the object of His love (Ps. 17:8).  Therefore, in spite of misfortune, we stand firm on God’s promises (2 Cor. 1:20) and His power (Eph. 1:19).

#2.  Reframe and recast our response.  We are not blind to misfortune but we know who controls all circumstances (Acts 17:28). Nothing happens to us that does not first pass God’s examination.  Reframing begins with accepting God’s sovereign rule over our lives (2 Cor. 4:8-9). Recasting is accomplished by trusting God and looking for ways to transform misfortune into opportunities that enrich our spiritual life.  These opportunities may be more time in personal witnessing, intercessory prayer, fasting, and Bible meditation.

#3. Rejoice. We do not rejoice because of misfortune but because we are assured of who will be with us during them.  God will be with us through the misfortune or He will deliver us from it (1 John 4:4). We know that weeping may come in the night but joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5).