| A Guest Post by Becky Meyerson |
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken.
On our first family mission trip to Mexico, my husband and I wrote this new beatitude to help us accommodate the delays and changes that continuously happen when you travel with a group.
Late buses, delays in meals, and changes to the schedule created frustration in each of us.
My eight-year-old was tired, my teenagers were hungry, my husband felt like waiting was wasting time, and I just needed to see some form of organization and schedule.
If we were going to survive and thrive during this trip each of us needed to practice flexibility.
How do you respond to changes, delays, things not going your way, and the unexpected? Are you flexible? Or are you easily broken, angered, or frustrated?Flexible means that you are:
- Capable of bending easily without breaking
- Able to be easily modified to respond to altered conditions
- Ready and able to change and adapt to different circumstances
Whenever a change or delay happened on that mission’s trip (which seemed like all the time) we turned with a smile and reminded each other, “blessed are the flexible, for they will not be broken.”
This new beatitude continues to be our family motto.
How do you respond to changes, delays, things not going your way, and the unexpected?
Are you flexible? Or are you easily broken, angered, or frustrated?
Being Flexible When You Aren’t In Charge
” Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit and so be at peace with one another. ” Ephesians 4:2-3 TLB
It’s easy to adjust to change if you are the one initiating the changes.
But when you are a follower—and you tend to be organized, proactive, and concerned with order and time management—being flexible is a challenge.
My four sisters and I inherited the family farm and are planting organic garlic.
We are painfully learning who the boss is when you are a farmer—the weather!
Farmers can make their plans and do the work, but the weather determines when and if they have a crop.
My sisters and I are detailed women who set the planting and harvest dates months in advance so our entire families can book it on their calendars and work as crew.
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken worked again as each of us resolved that we were not going to complain, but bend, modify and adapt.Our entire garlic calendar for both planting and harvest was in flux last year.
Too much moisture in the spring and summer and late development of the garlic created havoc with our plans to harvest.
The date was moved forward twice which then created conflicts with other summer adventures we had individually planned with our families.
You can imagine the tension that built.
Five sisters who are strong, independent thinkers, with take-charge personalities; each had to decide to respond with grace and flexibility.
We survived harvest only to be tested again at planting time.
Freezing rain in October delayed planting by a week and subsequently only half the sisters and crew could work.
Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken worked again as each of us resolved that we were not going to complain, but bend, modify and adapt.
The Benefits of Flexibility at Home and Work
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness. Galatians 5:22 TLB
Flexibility in the workplace and at home is so important.
Besides allowing the fruit of the Holy Spirit to grow, it also helps us face challenges, reduce stress, and abide in peace.
Flexibility helps us face challenges, reduce stress, and abide in peace.When you try flexibility at your workplace:
- People will enjoy working with you.
- Your co-workers and employers will know they can count on you to not be stuck in your ways.
- You will learn to be open to new ideas.
- You will grow in creativity and resourcefulness.
When you strive to be flexible at home:
- There will be less conflict.
- There will be more understanding among family members or roommates.
- You will be able to roll with life’s punches.
- The calendar and agenda will not completely depend on you.
Flexibility and the Fruit of the Spirit
When we are flexible the beautiful fruit of the Holy Spirit can be seen in our lives:
- Love. You can demonstrate loving-kindness to others as you don’t insist on your agenda or schedule.
- Joy. You approach life with all its changes and delays with a smile on your face and a light heart.
- Peace. You are inclined to stay calm, undisturbed, and untroubled.
- Patience. You are not provoked or “blow up” easily when things are not going your way.
- Kindness. You are considerate and thoughtful.
- Goodness. You look out for the welfare of others.
- Faithfulness. You are consistent and trustworthy no matter the circumstance.
- Gentleness. Your power and might are restrained. You do not demand your own way.
- Self-Control. You are even-tempered and believe the best. You do not take things personally.
Blessed are the Flexible, for They Will Not be Broken.
You won’t have to look far today to find an opportunity to practice this new beatitude!
Don’t be broken. Choose flexibility.
– Becky Meyerson
Becky Meyerson is a 60-something wife, mom, Nana, writer, teacher, organic garlic grower, and Jesus follower. She loves to point people to the Word of God through writing and speaking and her prayer is that the Word of God will change His people from the inside-out. Becky blogs at A Flourishing Life and you can find her on social media on Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest.
