Enjoy the second installment of this series from Parkview Chaplaincy, about the stories we tell ourselves and how we can reframe the message.
Does this sound familiar?
“And, of course, on the way to work this morning I hit every red light.”
“And when I got here, of course I forgot my phone in the car.”
“And, of course, I spilled my coffee on my shirt.”
Why do we say, “of course” before sharing something bad that happened?
We never say, “And of course I found $20 in my coat pocket.” Or, “Of course I got the perfect parking spot.”
What story are we telling ourselves when we say, “Of course my phone died at the worst time?” Do we really believe that our phone, car, coffee cup, and parking lot are all conspiring against us? More importantly, do we believe that God, the universe, or society in general are really trying to ruin our day?
Try something new. The next time something great happens to you, add “Of course,” to the beginning of the sentence, like this:
“Of course it all worked out in the end, so I didn’t need to worry.”
“Of course she had it taken care of already, and I’m so thankful.”
“Of course the coffee was nice and hot and I didn’t spill a single drop.”
Because you can choose to believe that God, the universe, and society in general
would actually prefer that things go well for you.
Perhaps there is a conspiracy.
Perhaps it’s for my good.
