Caught in a Traffic Jam

Last Monday, on my drive to work, I encountered something new. Although I was driving on the same highway, to the same destination, something along my route had changed.

There was road construction. And, I don't mean a few orange cones signaling men at work on the side of the road. I'm talking major freeway overhaul.

There had been a warning sign, saying something like, "new traffic patterns ahead, use alternate route." But, I had no alternate route. And, how bad could it be, right?

It was bad. Not only were there less lanes and so many orange cones. But, my lane didn't exist anymore. It was gone. I had to merge into a new lane, which was uncomfortable for me and didn't lead me to the right interchange. I was then scrambling to move over, so that I could reach my exit in time.

While I was driving stopped in traffic, I started thinking. I was thinking about this highway and how much I have despised this intersection for the past seven plus years. How nearly everyday, I ask, to no one really, what was the person who designed this thinking?! Now, someone was making a change. A change that would make this stretch of highway better. Yet, in the meantime it was so much worse.

This got me thinking about life. How it's like this highway. While there are many things that are working, there are those things that are not. But, sometimes in order to change the things that are not working, our current situation needs to get worse before it can get better.

Do you know what I mean? It's those times when you have to think about the bigger picture. When you have to ask yourself the question, "What is the long-term goal?"

As a School Psychologist, I also see this when making plans to address students' negative behaviors. One of the things that many of the staff I consult with don't understand is that when attempting to eliminate a negative behavior, you are often going to see more of it or other behaviors you don't want, before the target behavior is gone. It's a key principle of behavior management. And, of life management...so it seems.

One of the two words I chose for 2013 is blessing. Are blessings short-term or long-term? I believe they can be both. But, sometimes we can't see the long-term blessing because we are so focused on the mess of our current state.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. 

He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. 

Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

These words were spoken by Joseph. His brothers hated him. They threw him in a well. Then, sold him as a slave. He was thrown in prison. But, he had God's favor, and eventually became one of the most powerful men in Egypt. Near the end of his story, he forgives his brothers and realizes that all the horrible stuff that he had experienced was a blessing.

Can we do that? Are we able to look at our lives and see the blessings, even if they might be hidden?

One of my favorite songs is Blessings, by Laura Story. In it, she sings of blessings through raindrops and God's mercies in disguise.

Today's scripture challenge theme is life verse. My life verse, the one I always go back to, when I need some perspective is Isaiah 55:8-9.

Are you focusing on your ways or God's? What are you experiencing that you can label as a blessing, whether it's one for today or for the future?