Amused, Not Annoyed

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Kim Phuc's mature Christian faith was certainly a joy to behold as I read her book Fire Road. And here's a little gem from the book I thought I'd share with you. She says this on page 288: "I have learned to manage life's bigger challenges – terror and tragedy, abandonment and abuse, poverty and wrenching pain – and let the little inconveniences amuse me instead of annoy me."

Learning from Life's Perspective

Well I have to tell you that I read this sentence on a day when I was feeling quite annoyed. Somebody had said something to me that put me in a bit of a bad mood, and I was trying to figure out what to do with it. Then I read Kim's words about letting the little inconveniences amuse me instead of annoy me, and I remember pausing and looking up to the heavens, saying "thank you Lord!" I needed that, in the moment.

How do you deal with things that annoy you? Do you blow them out of proportion? Do you use them as an opportunity to sulk? I remember once reading a John Ortberg book where he said that he thought maybe his spiritual gift was sulking, he was so good at it. Ha! When you face inconveniences and irritations, do you overreact?

Choosing Joy in Daily Challenges

Maybe you're listening to Kim's words for a reason today. Maybe God has brought this sentence into your life to help you like He helped me. Maybe it's time to stop getting upset about petty and silly things, and to stop being so sensitive to everything. Maybe it's time to accept people for who they are, and not get all bent out of shape if they do something to upset you.

Now, I know, it's not as easy as it sounds. But perhaps you've never tried. Perhaps you've never tried to be amused instead of irritated. And maybe this can help – maybe you choose to laugh things off, rather than take them into your soul.

I tell you, it worked for me that day, and it's worked for me ever since.

I hope it does the same for you!