When My Happy Gets Bumped

March 10, 2016

LYSA TERKEURST

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:11-12 (NIV)

Most days, I wake up fairly happy. It’s not like I wake up in the mood for a party, but generally I’m not grumpy when I arise. I wake up and things seem pretty good, level and fresh with possibilities. But then inevitably something — or someone — will bump into my happy.

An early morning meltdown by one of my people.

Or a difficult email that makes my heart sink.

Or me underestimating my time and suddenly everything is rushed, hurried and stressful.

Or my husband, Art, lowering the thermostat in the house to 68 degrees and I can’t stop shivering until the temperature hovers closer to 72. It’s amazing how much difference four degrees makes.

Things happen. Things that bump into my happy. And suddenly I’m a little off-kilter and a little less nice.

Can you relate?

Well, I’m learning something about a little mental perspective I need to have when things bump into my happy. In that moment, Satan is scheming to have me help him out. If he can just get me jostled to the point where I react out of anger, it’s like lighting a spark near a puddle of gasoline.

Even the smallest spark can ignite quite a fire. A fire that can spread and feel much bigger than what the situation ever should have been.

Take the temperature situation, for example.

It should be just a simple discussion about the thermostat. But, add a little anger and suddenly things in my brain escalate to the point where I’ve just about convinced myself Art is completely insensitive and couldn’t care less about me.

Is that true? Of course not. He just likes to sit in his house without sweating. Surely, we could find a compromise with the temperature or I could go put on some socks and a sweatshirt.

Instead, when he bumps into my happy, a “growth opportunity” ensues that leaves us both feeling a little burned.

In other words, I play right into Satan’s scheme and help him out. Remember, Satan’s plan is to cause separation. Be it a temperature issue, tight finances, a misunderstood statement or one of the millions of little things that can bump into our happy … we have a choice.

We can choose to play into Satan’s schemes and enable his attempts to separate us from God’s best. Or, we can choose to fight for our relationships and against Satan’s divisive attempts. When I think about it in these terms, it helps me identify the real enemy.

My real enemy isn’t any of the people who bump my happy. My real enemy is the one who tries with all his might to get me to jump into a grumpy mood and help him tear down all that I love.

Knowing I need a strategy against these attacks, I turn to the wisdom found in Ephesians 6:11, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”

You better back up and back off, Satan. I’m onto your schemes. You are the real enemy, not my people. And now I have a totally new game plan for when my happy gets bumped.

Starting with finding just the right pair of socks and a sweatshirt to wear in the ice cave.

Dear Lord, sometimes my happy gets bumped and my emotions get the best of me. Help me react in a way that honors You instead of reacting in a way that will fuel Satan’s agenda. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
James 4:7, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES:
We all have experiences where others bump into our happy, and we can end up coming emotionally unglued. We stuff, we explode or react somewhere in between. Learn how to honor God in the midst of those raw emotions with Lysa TerKeurst’s book, Unglued. Purchase your copy here.

REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What bumps into your happy and sends you off-kilter?

Are there any relationships in your life where Satan is using those very things to cause division and strife? Stop and ask the Lord to help you see who the real enemy is and to bring healing and restoration to those relationships.