Above all, God is good

The other day I had a panic attack. I have been going to the doctor a lot lately and was concerned when the wisdom teeth surgeon told me he wouldn't be able to take them out without proof that my heart is ok. Faced with a fear of having to go to the cardiologist on top of all of this, I completely lost it. On the way home I was freaking out to Mom (again, poor Mom) worried about getting my school done with all of these appointments. She listens and then says, "At least these appointments are only temporary and you aren't dying of cancer and having to go to the doctor just to survive." Wow. Those were the words I needed to hear. So I came home trusting that God was going to work things through and that it would be ok. I went to bed that night and prayed that things would work out.
Then the next day I went to the doctor. She said that my heart sounded fine and I just have an irregular heart beat. So, I can have the surgeries! I just thought I would share that little bit of news with you and above all, God is good!! :)

Leftovers

Walking into her friend's house, it quickly became clear that this would be a lonely night. All of the girls were either sitting next to their boyfriends or crowded in a tight circle that prevented her from joining in. She stood awkwardly by the door unsure of what to do until finally settling on a chair near the door. As she sat there absentmindedly watching the movie her thoughts went elsewhere. She started wishing she could be friends with someone here, or be welcomed into that circle of friends. She looked at the couch of couples and started wishing she had a boyfriend. She felt like a leftover here in this group of people.
I'm sure we've all felt like that at some point or other. Or if you are the most outgoing person in the world and have always had a boy/girl friend that was PERFECT and never hurt your feelings, then this post isn't for you. And I seriously doubt that's true about anyone.
What's the problem in this story here? Is it the fact that the girls in their tight circle didn't notice Miss Leftovers walk in the door? Should the girls on the couch have gotten up and greeted her? The problem is Miss Leftovers. 2 Timothy 1:7  says, "For the Holy Spirit, God's gift, does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them." Wow. I sure wish I had read that verse a long time ago.
Deep down, being shy and "being afraid of people" is pride. When the girl in the story started thinking about the other people and wishing they would be the ones to initiate a conversation, she started to think she was important and expected attention. But as the Bible clearly states multiple times, we are to be servants. We are to serve others. The girl should have gotten up and initiated a conversation. One of the problems being "afraid of people" does, is it makes us look stuck up. Well, we are being prideful in that moment as we stand against the wall in the back of the room.
Next time you start wanting to shrink back and go back into your protective shell, remember 2 Timothy 1:7. Do your best to be the initiator next time. Who knows? Maybe someone out there is struggling with bashfulness and you talking to them will help them to come out of their shell.
Colossians 3:16. Remember what Christ taught, and let his words enrich your lives and make you wise; teach them to each other and sing them out in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing to the Lord with thankful hearts.