The Cards You're Dealt With
Sometimes we feel we are so boxed in by the situations we are in. We feel that we have very few alternatives, and worse, we believe that we are in the position we are in ultimately as a result of our actions. Sometimes, we regret past decisions that seemed wise at the time, or even if it didn’t, we still chose it. Now we feel we’re stuck with the consequences. Some people may say, we learned lessons from our mistakes, but sometimes I feel that I’d rather live without ever learning that lesson if it means being spared of the whole situation, because the cost is greater than the benefit. And I am left unrelieved.
Often, I said that if given the chance, I would live my life all over again, and this time make the right decisions. Even if I needed to relive even the bad or hard parts, nothing could be worse than the situation I’m in. I just wanted to undo my bad moves, unwise choices which brought me to this bad hand. Only recently did it occur to me that if I did live my life over again, and chose different paths, paths which seem to me would be wiser, that I am not assured that the result would be better. For all I know, for some reason I do not foresee right now, it may even lead me to even worse consequences than the situation I’m in now. Thus, what I may not realize is that even if the situation I’m in now is much less than ideal, God may have actually lead me to this situation which is far better than if I had chosen a different path, even if that different path seems wiser using my limited earthly mind.
So, seeing that there is no time machine to get me back to the past, and seeing that I have no control over time and chance (please refer to my other article, “Time and Chance”), I am left to deal with the cards I’m dealt with. At least now I can do it with a smile, knowing that it could have been worse.
We live with the consequences of our actions (please refer to my other article, “Living with It”), because it is the only option, and may be even the path with least problems. Make the most of what you got. Make the most of the hand you’re dealt with.
Sometimes our past mistakes also leads us to a situation where others, even people very important to us, regard us less because of our mistakes. You see, they also have to deal with the cards you’re [sic] dealt with, and you are left to interact the best possible way, and simply accept the situation again, seeing if they can deal with your consequences as you have, hoping that they also see that they are as imperfect as you, who had also made bad moves one time or another, which may have consequences that they seek will be understood by others also.
But what if the cards you’re presently dealt with have no possible way of winning? I had that mindset, which left me utterly frustrated. It made me chase my seemingly best options, and made frustrating, sometimes even compromising decisions to make sure what seemed to me was the best possibility will happen, because I saw it to be my only way out. What I realized only recently is that there are still more cards on the deck. There will be other options, options which I do not know of right now, which may be far better than any I can think of presently. My job is therefore to play my current hand the best possible way, not getting frustrated even if things don’t seem to go my way now, because the good cards may still be on the deck, unbeknownst to me, and can only come my way after I played this hand.
But what’s the assurance that things will go your way eventually? Romans 8:28 says, “For everything works out for the good of those who love Him, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Repent from your mistakes, and give your life to God. It’s the only way to be happy every day of you life, even the seemingly bad days.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2004, May 22, 6:54 pm)
Often, I said that if given the chance, I would live my life all over again, and this time make the right decisions. Even if I needed to relive even the bad or hard parts, nothing could be worse than the situation I’m in. I just wanted to undo my bad moves, unwise choices which brought me to this bad hand. Only recently did it occur to me that if I did live my life over again, and chose different paths, paths which seem to me would be wiser, that I am not assured that the result would be better. For all I know, for some reason I do not foresee right now, it may even lead me to even worse consequences than the situation I’m in now. Thus, what I may not realize is that even if the situation I’m in now is much less than ideal, God may have actually lead me to this situation which is far better than if I had chosen a different path, even if that different path seems wiser using my limited earthly mind.
So, seeing that there is no time machine to get me back to the past, and seeing that I have no control over time and chance (please refer to my other article, “Time and Chance”), I am left to deal with the cards I’m dealt with. At least now I can do it with a smile, knowing that it could have been worse.
We live with the consequences of our actions (please refer to my other article, “Living with It”), because it is the only option, and may be even the path with least problems. Make the most of what you got. Make the most of the hand you’re dealt with.
Sometimes our past mistakes also leads us to a situation where others, even people very important to us, regard us less because of our mistakes. You see, they also have to deal with the cards you’re [sic] dealt with, and you are left to interact the best possible way, and simply accept the situation again, seeing if they can deal with your consequences as you have, hoping that they also see that they are as imperfect as you, who had also made bad moves one time or another, which may have consequences that they seek will be understood by others also.
But what if the cards you’re presently dealt with have no possible way of winning? I had that mindset, which left me utterly frustrated. It made me chase my seemingly best options, and made frustrating, sometimes even compromising decisions to make sure what seemed to me was the best possibility will happen, because I saw it to be my only way out. What I realized only recently is that there are still more cards on the deck. There will be other options, options which I do not know of right now, which may be far better than any I can think of presently. My job is therefore to play my current hand the best possible way, not getting frustrated even if things don’t seem to go my way now, because the good cards may still be on the deck, unbeknownst to me, and can only come my way after I played this hand.
But what’s the assurance that things will go your way eventually? Romans 8:28 says, “For everything works out for the good of those who love Him, for those who are called according to His purpose.” Repent from your mistakes, and give your life to God. It’s the only way to be happy every day of you life, even the seemingly bad days.
- A. L. E. -
(Originally written: 2004, May 22, 6:54 pm)
