Living Without All the Drama

 

Have you ever been told you’re dramatic? Maybe you’ve been called a drama queen? We are all prone to drama at some time or another.

Drama happens because life happens. Emotions are a real thing, and they are given to us by God. Unexpected circumstances hit and we’re not prepared to handle them. Or we come up against people with different and difficult personalities or behaviours and we don’t know how to respond.

You don’t have to do much looking to see that our world is full of drama. I think it’s hit an all-time high!

Not all drama is drama we bring upon ourselves. Sometimes we find ourselves near someone who erupts. Or maybe we’re broadsided with a devastating diagnosis or the loss of a family member. Or maybe it’s the ending of a meaningful friendship. Life can catch us off guard. But it’s how we respond that makes all the difference!

How do you respond to the drama in your life?

I want to let you in on a little secret. 

You can’t control the circumstances in your life, 

but you can always control how you respond to them!

Do you react or respond? Do you dial down the drama when things happen, or do you turn it up, full-bore and let the inner drama queen rear her ugly head?

There’s a big difference in reacting and responding and I know, in my case, it has taken me years to learn to dial down the drama and respond instead of react. And, just to let you know, I don’t always get it right.

There’s really only 2 kinds of drama. The drama that life brings (and God allows) and the drama we create through our responses or reactions to situations.

Our response to the drama in our life determines whether God gets the glory, or whether we take the spotlight.  Our drama will either shine a light on God and glorify him or it will shine a light on our frailties, insecurities and emotional instability.

So, if there’s 2 kinds of drama, then there’s 2 choices to make. We can react emotionally and impulsively and escalate the drama, or we can respond in a reasonable, Godly way and diffuse the drama and experience peace, joy, and contentment instead. Which choice are you going to make?

Here’s something to think about. Did you know that God is dramatic and the Bible is full of God’s dramatic flair? But there is a big difference between God’s drama and our drama.

Let me give you a few examples of God’s dramatic flair found in the Bible.

*God created the world in 6 days by simply speaking

*God created man from dust, woman from a rib

*God chose to use 2 old people, Abraham and Sarah, to start a nation of people

*God used a fish with a coin in its mouth to pay the taxes

*Jesus spat in the dirt and made mud and rubbed it in a blind man’s eyes and then he told him to walk to a pool and wash it off and the man walked away seeing.

*Jesus walked out on the top of a lake in the middle of a raging storm at night to show his power.

Are you convinced now that God is dramatic?  

Yes, God has dramatic flair! But the difference between his drama and our drama is that every miracle Jesus performed, every word he said, drew attention to God and glorified him. He didn’t try and steal the spotlight or point to himself. He was always trying to show the world who God was and what God could do.

What does our drama say to others? We are on stage continually, playing our parts in our own scripts. In our homes. In our workplaces. Out and about. How do we learn to handle the drama that life brings, in a way that glorifies God?

As we express our emotions, interact with others, speak our minds, what message are we broadcasting? Who are we shining the spotlight on?

We as women tend to react emotionally to our circumstances and bring drama unnecessarily into our lives. When we respond correctly and look for God in our circumstances, we can turn any situation into a life-changing lesson that helps to mold us and mature us and grow us spiritually.

Most of our drama comes from us feeling that we can't handle the things that are coming our way. The emotional avalanches we face daily are overwhelming.  We feel like we can't deal with the situations, we can't be everything that people want us to be, and we can’t live up to others’ expectations. But God doesn't expect us to be superwoman, he wants us to admit how weak and frail we really are so that he can be strong for us.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

We can live victoriously (drama free) or we can live in defeat. The choice is ours. We have to learn to accept God’s script for our lives. We are playing a part, and we can play the part God would have us play, or we can reject his script and try to live without his leading. But this will lead to a life of drama and becoming drama-filled instead of spirit-filled.

We can choose to totally freak out when things happen, or we can surrender the situation and hand it to God and let him take control. We can be dramatic and play the victim, not taking responsibility for our actions, holding grudges, seeking attention and having pity parties or we can simply lay it all down at Jesus feet and let him handle it.

There was a lot of drama in King David’s life, and we read of his reactions and his responses over and over throughout the pages of scripture. But one thing I love about King David, was his ability to get back up. He never seemed to stay down long when he fell. Whether it was sin, or depression or discouragement that he was facing, he always realised that God was still good, still in control and still faithful, loving and kind.

Note the progression in this Psalm.

Psalm 13:1-6  How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death; Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

He begins on his face in pity, then he raises to his knees in prayer, and then we find him on his feet in praise! He went from dramatic victim to a God-praising Victor! He chose not to let the drama take over. He handed it to God to deal with.

And that’s what we need to do when we feel the drama rising. When we begin to let our thoughts control us and the emotional rollercoaster starts to roll down its slippery slope on its way to a turbulent ride full of twists and turns, we have to make a choice.

We have to choose to take captive our thoughts. They can cause a lot of drama. We have to pull on the brakes as quick as we can and not let those thoughts run rampant in our minds and create havoc with our emotions.

2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV - Casting down imaginations (thoughts), and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity (rein them in!) every thought to the obedience of Christ;

If we choose to think on the right things and turn a deaf ear to the wrong things, we will begin to dial down that drama lickety split!

Philippians 4:8  - Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

We have to take responsibility for our thoughts. Our thoughts must change! We have to correct our wrong thinking if we’re going to live drama-free.

God will help us change our thoughts if we make the choice to do what’s right. He can direct them to the promises in his word. He will remind us of who we are in Christ and just what he has done for us.

We need to remember that drama is part of our life’s script and God has it already taken care of. He knows all about it. We don’t have to worry. He has known about it since the beginning of time. We just need to respond and submit to Him.

A few years back, I read a really good little acronym using the word CALM. It has helped me many times to dial down the drama and look to Jesus.

C – Consider the bigger picture – every circumstance is meant to conform you to the image of Christ. God knows what He’s doing, and he sees further than you do.

A-   Acknowledge God is in control – and that you are not. Trust God in whatever he decides to do.

          L- Look for the lesson- ask God to show you what He wants you to see in the                 situation and what he wants you to learn, and stay focused on doing his will.  

         M- Make it a point to praise - Be thankful in all things and praise God even for             the uncomfortable and unwanted things. It will change your perspective and help             you anticipate what God can do instead of dreading the worst. 

If God is able to still the raging storm and calm the angry waves, and he is, then he is able to still your emotions and squash the drama that threatens to overwhelm you.

Learn to respond and not react! Accept responsibility for your thoughts and your actions and let God transform you into who he wants you to be.

Philippians 4:13

  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.