Pivot points…

Over the last few days I have watched some of the special programming on the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 – that terrible day, and pivotal time in history. On one program where people who were there on that day ten years ago were interviewed, something one man said really struck me. A man who was working in an office was interviewed. His co-workers said that this man was always smiling; nothing seemed to really upset him at work. He didn’t engage in all the trivial nit-picking and usual office complaining. The interviewer asked the man about it. He replied something like this: “I see my co-workers getting upset for such trivial things, the way I look at it, if you don’t have a passenger jet crashing into your building then you are having a good day at work”. On 9/11 this man was working on the 84^th floor of the North Tower. This man escaped just before the building collapsed.

It seems that this man now bases how he reacts to things that happen to him based on that pivot point in his life where everything changed and was never the same. I admire his resiliency and that he has been able to overcome the terror and trauma of that day, a nightmare from which some that were there have not been able to wake, who relive the horror every day. I pray that God would surround them with His grace and His love, that they would turn to Him that they might be healed.

I was convicted by the testimony of this man. I have found myself complaining over trivial things too, at work and elsewhere. Every day we have is a gift, isn’t it? What kind of an impact am I having on those around me? A positive one or a negative one. When they observe how I go about my day what do they see? – someone who is resilient in overcoming various trials? – someone who has hope and joy? – someone who overcomes evil with good?

We all face pivot points in our lives, some happy and joyful like the birth of a child; and some tragic and sad like a loss of a child. The Bible tells us in Psalm 46 that God is a very present help in time of trouble. I know this to be true experientially.

I pray that I would always turn to Him, my joy and the lifter of my head, immediately when a difficult pivotal time comes in my life so that I will receive the help He extends to me and that I would live my days with joy in my heart so that others would see that God is GOOD, that they would be drawn to this wonderful Saviour, this majestic, powerful, awesome, loving and merciful God – the God who loves each one of them with an everlasting love and extends His arms to them continually.  

I pray also that when I find myself ready to complain about trivial things that I would remember the example of this man who realizes that each day he has is a gift.