None of my business

Perhaps I’m not the only one who finds herself from time-to-time frustrated and worrying and even reacting to things that are none of my business.  Ugh.  Trying to control things that are out of my control because I was never meant to control them.  Sigh.  Oh, the benefits of hindsight…

I’ve struggled the last few weeks in trying to fulfill my own commitments in a setting that I don’t particularly like.  If I had it my way things would be different.  My arrogance unveiled in this very thought, I am embarrassed that I’ve gotten caught up in it.  I’ve found myself complaining on the inside even if the words never escape my lips, thinking that what works for me surely must be what will work for others.  If they would only listen.

In taking my frustration to God and asking for His guidance in how to move forward in the midst of these things that so deeply get on my nerves, He simply said “It’s none of your business.”  Whoa.  He reminded me once again that I am not in charge of everything and I don’t have all the answers.  Now, one would think that I would be acutely aware of these facts by this time in my life, yet here I am, struggling with it again.  Just who do I think I am?

Some of us tend to me more opinionated than others.   There are multitudes of things I do not care about and therefore have no opinion on those matters.  However, when I do have an opinion it is usually a passionate one and difficult to ignore.  Even when I am wrong.

We live in such a strange time.  People feel such a freedom to express their opinions even to the point of secretly photographing or videoing others and posting these opinions on the internet for the world to see. I doubt that my life is of much interest to these who feel compelled to do such things, I am only thankful that my poor fashion choices and embarrassing behavior primarily occurred before technology allowed for it to be recorded…

In the big picture, do our opinions really matter?  I do believe that God cares about us at every level – what we think, how we feel, what we want.  He cares so deeply about who He has called us to be that He has given us His Spirit to be the filter.  My opinions need to be sifted in order to remove the lumps of selfishness and clumps of manipulation that often exist in my “good intentions”.  When I allow it, He takes me deeper in the analysis of how I feel and what I want so that my actions will ultimately reflect His desires.  He calls me to surrender my opinion to His.

So this week I regrouped.  I reminded myself that all He has ever asked me to do is my part.  The things that are not my part are none of my business.  It made me think of Peter when he asked Jesus “What about this man?”  And Jesus replied “What is that to you?”*   I regrouped and rediscovered my joy in my commitment.

There is relief in this letting go of my opinion and the final outcome of things that are none of my business.  Surrendered into His hands, I can enjoy doing my part with the confidence that He most assuredly will do His.

*John 21

 

“None of my business” was written by Kay Stinnett and first appeared on http://www.ourpassionatepurpose.com