“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

My wife and I went to a dinner theater last week with my aunt, uncle and a few of their friends.  Shortly before the intermission, one of the ladies in our group collapsed into the lap of the woman sitting next to her.  Admittedly, given her symptoms, most of us thought that she was dying.  Thankfully, by the time the ambulance arrived, she had recovered enough to walk to the gurney.  After spending the night in the hospital, she was released with a heart monitor.  Aside from the obvious concerns for those involved, it raised a deeply rooted fear of my own.  As much as I accept God’s will in my life, the thought of a public medical emergency still haunts me…and I’ve had a few.  For many of us, it raises concerns about embarrassment, image, and acceptance.  Ultimately, we cannot control the events of our lives, but we can control our response to them with a bit of truth.

The Problem

Certainly, there is often a fair amount of mortification associated with any medical emergency that takes place in public.  Most of us prefer to maintain some level of dignity which is usually stripped away in an emergency.  We may also feel that we have ruined an event for others.  Case in point, the incident the other night caused the show to be stopped until the police, firemen and EMTs took care of the situation.  Another concern is what others will think of us which can range from pity to disdain.  That concern often leads to worrying about how others will respond to us…will they obsess about our condition, ask too many questions, become critical or make fun of us?  Once it’s happened, there will be fear that it will happen again.  The list of stress factors goes on and is as varied as the individuals enduring that experience.  At the end of the list is a touch of pride as most of us despise circumstances are beyond our control.

Some Truths

Solomon tells us that there is nothing new under the sun.  Which means that, in general, humbling circumstances are not unique to us.  We haven’t been singled out.  Further, consider the public humiliation of our Lord who was scorned in life and humiliated in His death on the cross to atone for sins that were not His own.  Our situation can’t really compare.

Even in public, our stress may cause us to feel utterly alone and unable to cope.  While our battles may be of a different sort, God reminds us in Joshua 1:9 to be strong rather than discouraged and to remember that He is with us in every circumstance.  Further, Isaiah 40:10 instructs us not to fear because God is with us upholding and strengthening us.

We must remember that God is sovereign and watches over us.  The fact that we had a problem in public may have been His way to provide the best help rather than allowing us to be alone or with someone who cares but is unable to provide the necessary assistance immediately.  By allowing the emergency in public Saturday evening, God not only provided support for the woman who collapsed, but also for her husband.  Further, it allowed my aunt to inform their pastor the next morning so that he could visit her and tend to spiritual matters.

When considering what others will think about us, we need to remember the words of Galatians 1:10.  It’s nice to have people appreciate and like us, but in the end, the opinion that matters most is God’s.  Those who love us will not think less of us for something that is beyond our control.

With respect to our pride, Proverbs 16:18 tells us that “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”  Further, James 4:6 tells us “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Our Lord is capable of doing many things with one event.  For example, a public event could be His way of providing help while gently calling us to humility.

Finally, we are to rejoice in all circumstances as it is God’s will for us and as His children, all things to work together for our good.  (James 1:2 and Romans 8:28)  It is after all, a matter of faith and life.

Our Options

While we may not be able to control our circumstances, we can control our responses.

First we must quit trying to control the events of our lives and trust our Lord and Savior who knows our frame.  Comfort comes as we rely on His understanding, goodness, love, ability, wisdom and peace.

Rather than focusing on our weakness and fear, we should accept the strength, courage and peace provided by God and His word.

In our humility we must choose gratitude and grace rather than embarrassment.  Our gratitude is for assistance, kindness and understanding that we receive while extending grace to those who cannot comprehend or show no compassion.

Rather than being angry or frustrated that we cannot control the events of our lives, we should be grateful that God is honing our faith and our endurance as we move through each difficult circumstance.  While the trials of this life may be challenging, the joy that they produce for eternity outweighs the temporary struggle.

On a slightly different note, laugh when you can.  Many of the circumstances that embarrass us truly have a funny side.  Further, there is practical value in allowing levity.  Proverbs 17:22 states: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”   If we can laugh at what is funny, we can break the tension, allow our minds to settle and think more clearly as well as saving our strength for when it is truly needed.

Christ’s Example

Ever our example, Christ repeatedly showed us how to live by truth rather than emotion.  Any perceived public humiliation that we might endure will never be as extreme as Christ’s.  Beaten and stripped, hanging on a cross for crimes He did not commit in a very public place, He took control and chose righteousness rather than emotion. For those who tortured Him, He requested His Father’s forgiveness; He chose to quietly endure the insults of the criminal hanging beside Him; He provided redemption for the other man crucified with Him; and He offered compassion to those He was leaving behind.  All these things He did trusting in the faithfulness of God the Father and looking forward to the joy that would be His for eternity.

Final Thoughts

Many years ago, there was concern that I had lymphoma.  As the nurse was prepping me for surgery, my wife and I were joking around and laughing.  Finally, my nurse spoke up concerned that we didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.  Truly we did; the prior night was a sleepless one with much prayer.  In response, we explained that we did recognize the seriousness, but that we could not control the outcome and that our hope was in God and His wisdom.  While it hasn’t always been the case, this was one of those moments that we handled with grace and as a result were given the opportunity to share our faith.

When we control our reactions to uncontrollable circumstances we act as good ambassadors for our Lord and Savior.  As we exhibit grace, we encourage others to do the same.  As we trust, we testify to God’s ability and faithfulness.  As we chose hope in eternity, we open the door to share the joy of salvation with others.  In this we allow God’s strength to overcome our weakness so that we can live well and faithfully serve our God.

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Will