Do you ever feel just a little bit overwhelmed by life… or maybe a lot overwhelmed? Maybe you feel like there is a black cloud following you around. Maybe, as in our case this week, there is actually a literal black cloud following you around. It seems like the last two weeks have spawned one circumstance after another for our family. I won’t bore you with the details, but I will say there have been some things this month that have us waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. It brings to mind the story I first read in Max Lucado’s book In the Eye of the Storm.

Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said “hello” when “sssopp!” Chippie got sucked in.

The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie—still alive, but stunned.

Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do…she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.

Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.

A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. “Well,” she replied, “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore—he just sits and stares.”

It’s hard not to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over…that’s enough to steal the song form the stoutest heart.

We’ve all experienced those situations that left us feeling like Chippie. But what we do in response to these events determines the impact they will ultimately have on who we are. As the saying goes, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” That may be true, but it also may make you bitter. Travis Mills, in his book Tough As They Come, tells how he learned early on in his military career that the only thing he had control over in any given situation was his attitude.

I’ve had a blessed life. But it has not been a cake walk. I want to share a few things that I have learned over the years that help me stay out of the pit of despair for the most part. I’m not saying I never end up there, but I try not to stay too long. Life is too short to waste it on pity parties.

Count Your Blessings

As the old gospel song tells us, “Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” When I take the time to sit down and reflect on the blessings I’ve experienced in life, I’m amazed. And if I’m being honest with myself, I have to admit the blessings far outweigh the problems. Many times, the blessings are a direct result of the problem. It’s hard to see that in the midst of the problem. I get that. That’s why it’s important to reflect on the blessings of the past and allow ourselves to be reminded of God’s faithfulness.

Focus On Others

When I find myself in the “woe is me” phase, the Lord never fails to bring someone to mind whose problems make mine fade in comparison. One never has to look far to find someone with bigger problems. It amazes me how much better I feel about my situation when I just take a moment to reach out to someone else in an effort to encourage them. Usually, I find myself to be the one that is encouraged. Funny how that works.

Surround Yourself With Positive People

Negativity breeds negativity. I’m not a prophet of the power of positive thinking; I just have come to realize in my own life the benefits of being around positive people. If you have friends that are more than willing to complain and brood about the problems in their life, hanging around them when you are having problems might not be the best idea. They’ll drag you down with them. When the storms hit, look for the optimist. The guy who sees the silver lining. Hang out with Tigger. Let him encourage you. Then, when you’re back on your feet, go see Eeyore and be an encouragement to him.

We live in a fallen, sin-cursed world that is always going to have thorns. Sometimes the effects will be devastating. Rest in the assurance that you have a loving Heavenly Father who loves and cares for each of us more than we could ever know. Move forward with the knowledge that He is accomplishing His plan in each of our lives.

Have a good week!

Mike