You Probably Think this Blog is About You

Still the LORD did not turn from the burning of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. 2 Kings 23:26

Years ago, I worked with a guy who always thought he was being talked about. If I ever had to speak to our mutual boss, he’d assume we were talking about him. I presumed he had a guilty conscience about something, but the reality was that we were never talking about him. I’ve been there though. In my own drug addiction, I assumed everyone was whispering about me. My guilty conscience caused me to believe that everything was about me.

In my self-centeredness now, I’m still prone to thinking that everything is about me. I do this even in my spiritual life. When my day doesn’t go the way I think they should, I find myself frustrated with God, as if he caused the frustrating event, simply to vex me. When, it rains on a day that I had plans to work outside, I take it personally. Why God? Why? That, of course, is absurd. The rainy day isn’t just about me but rather affects everyone.

Sometimes, I must remind myself that it isn’t always about me. That’s the lesson of today’s passage, which tells of the calamity that befell Judah. The kings of Judah had angered God by worshipping idols, causing God to promise its destruction. Josiah though, was a good king, repenting and following God. Still, God carried through on his promise to bring calamity upon Judah. Josiah was killed in battle, and the Babylonians eventually overthrew his people. If I were Josiah, I think I’d probably be frustrated with God. He’d been obedient, but God still caused or at least allowed bad things to happen to him and his people because of a plan that had already been set in motion and which had nothing to do with him. I imagine Josiah crying out, That’s not fair! But it simply wasn’t about Joshiah. Rather, these events were part of God’s much bigger plan.

When I take the rain that ruins my day personally, I reveal how self-centered I am. At those times, I must remind myself of Josiah. I am not at the center of the universe and world events affect far more than just me. Even though I’m tempted to think this way, I must accept that God’s plan isn’t always just about me.