Blog By Rachel Brown
If you have not seen NBC’s smash hit show This Is Us, it’s likely that you’ve at least heard about it (and equally likely that the person who told you about it cried a little during the explanation). The show follows Jack Pearson, his wife, Rebecca, and their kids: Kevin, Kate, and adopted son, Randall.
In each episode, viewers see the beginnings of the Pearson family, learning about Jack and Rebecca’s early marriage and the kids’ childhoods. Simultaneously, viewers discover how the kids are handling life as young adults and what has happened to them and their parents 36 years after their births.
This is Us is about family, it’s about relationships and it views live from our past, present and future.
Dynamics of family can be challenging. Our expectations of what family should look like can fall short of our reality.
In family:
1. There will always be opportunity to be disappointed.
What do you do when life doesn’t turn out the way you thought? When people behave in a way that you wouldn’t expect?
The secret to finding encouragement relies on our response – not our reaction. It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to what happens to you.
Psalm 61:1-2 (NKJV)
“Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”
When something hard happens, it’s tempting to react, but as we run to God and surrender to him and worship him, I believe our perspective changes. When we say, God you increase, may your purpose in me increase, than our problems and our disappointments are put in the right perspective.
God’s power and promises are a rock that is higher than we are, higher than any situation that we may face. This rock is Christ and as we allow ourselves to be led by His spirit and not by our own feelings our perspective changes.
2. There will always be opportunity to worship things rather than God
We are made to worship, and if we’re not worshipping our Creator, then we’re trying to put something else in his rightful place.
Worship a job, worship a person, and worship a relationship
Philippians 4:4-9
Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! 6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. 8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
When we surrender to Christ, there is a peace that comes only from the throne of God. It’s the strength to endure, resist and stand firm in places that could cause us to lose our footing and our intimacy with Christ.
3. There will always be an opportunity to extend forgiveness
We don’t get away from dealing with things we have done wrong. God loves us enough to not allow us to be kept in bondage of unforgiveness. He will always provide an opportunity for us to forgive.
Forgiveness is about molding our character and not about making us comfortable.
Our feelings will lie to us and bad decisions are made when our feelings are in control.
Feelings are often an enemy to faith.
4. God’s plan is always about redemption
Psalm 103:1-4 (TPT)
With my whole heart, with my whole life, and with my innermost being, I bow in wonder and love before you, the holy God! 2 Yahweh, you are my soul’s celebration. How could I ever forget the miracles of kindness you’ve done for me? 3 You kissed my heart with forgiveness, in spite of all I’ve done. You’ve healed me inside and out from every disease.4 You’ve rescued me from hell and saved my life. You’ve crowned me with love and mercy.
In the journey of family, the journey of Us, let us never forget the miracles of kindness that God has done for us. His forgiveness, His redemption for us.
Maybe as you think about your family and the abundance or lack of what you thought your family would look like – I want to remind you that God is not done yet.