Disasters Do Not Need to Remain So
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Reading the Washington Post a week ago, I came across the article, “The hidden gift of a travel disaster.” This article is a silver lining story and starts miserably like all such stories. The story’s couple takes a vacation to San Francisco. The couple lands at the San Francisco airport, and while acquiring their rental car, their bags are stolen. They were so upset they turned around and went home. Years later, the ruined vacation remained a hurt, but they could finally joke about it. The couple declared, “There’s something to be said for sustaining travel disasters with people we love. It ties you together, this thing you survived.”
The couple continues, “Relationships are forged in the dire moments.” At some point in their relationship, just about every couple must face extreme difficulty. For some, it is financial instability; for others, it is a health crisis. The list of life’s challenges is endless. Each of us will face our painful list. We must ask whether we are mature enough to sustain our inner strength and work together to overcome adversity?
One way to respond is to hunker down and fix the situation by oneself. However, going solo into fix-it mode is not the best option. When we do, we attempt to grab control of our trouble which leads to manipulating others and ourselves. Instead, the humble response is usually the proper response. Humility provides room for your partner to participate in the process of healing and restoration. Humility also includes space for God’s Spirit to join in the process.
Today, remember that you are a survivor. You overcame adversity in the past, and you can do so now and in the future. First, prayerfully reflect on the times you mistakenly tried to fix your burden all by yourself. Then, recall times you humbly included your loved one and God in the process of healing. These thoughts help remind us of God’s guidance and the benefits of humbly facing life’s challenges with those we love and God’s divine support.
