| My Mess Is My Message! – Robert Rohm ~ / ~ |
| It seems to me that almost everyone I have talked to lately has at one time or another found themselves in a big mess. None of us set out to end up in a mess, it just simply happens as a result of the circumstances of life. I even recently saw a sign that was made to hang up in a person’s office that said, “Bless this mess!” Truly all of us have been in circumstances and situations before that felt overwhelming. Life is not a smooth process. Have you ever been sailing? I am no seafaring expert, but I know that when sailing, you do not travel the seas in a straight line. You move across the water in a zig-zag fashion called “tacking.” It is the process of correctly turning the sails of the boat to allow the wind to catch the sails and drive the boat in one direction for a while. After a while, the sails are turned, and the rudder is adjusted so that the wind catches the sails and pushes the boat across to the other side. This zig-zagging pattern continues until the sailboat reaches its final destination. In the meantime, you must deal with the “mess” of the seas, the winds, unexpected turbulence, and everything else that comes your way. It is all part of the plan. Not to overstate the illustration, but airline pilots go through a similar process. Just this past week I was flying home from a speaking engagement and the pilot announced that there was a severe storm ahead that made it necessary for him to make a mid-course correction. He had to turn the airplane in a different direction for us to bypass the storm. He explained that it would take a little bit longer to reach our destination, but I can assure you that all the passengers were more than happy for him to change the course plans so that we did not have to experience a real mess! Life is like that. We are often headed in one direction when circumstances and situations arise that cause us to adjust our course. The messes that all of us experience from time to time force us to zig-zag our way to our intended goal. It may seem like a slower plan but in reality, it is a better, more successful way of arriving successfully at the desired destination. Whatever has happened in your life has been to help make you a better person. The mess that you may be experiencing right now will one day become something that you learn from and one day laugh about. Some of my deepest hurts and sorrows have become the very stories I have been able to share with others to help them through a difficult time in their own life. The same will be true for you. Let me encourage you, this week, in two ways: 1) Stay out of as many messes as possible. Stupidity in life is not required! Let’s be wise concerning every decision we make. 2) When we do discover that we have created a mess, or have become part of one, I would suggest that we let it become part of our life’s message to other people. No one wants to know how great and perfect we are. However, everyone is willing to listen to our personal experiences of how we struggled and failed along life’s journey. It is helpful for other people to hear how our “mess” became our message. It will be a blessing to others, and when all is said and done, isn’t that part of what life is all about? Tip: My mess is my message! Have a great week! God bless you! Dr. Robert A. Rohm |
Aslan Speaks 