The Dip

This statement is fascinating to me: “Sometimes our lives hit The Dip because God purposes it.”

There is a false notion that God’s plan for your life is the one filled with ease, comfort and only good things. The problem with this notion is…the Bible. Scripture is clear that God allows certain tests and trials to come into our lives for a divine purpose. Today we want to take a few minutes to explore how some trials allow us to see ourselves and God, in a fresh new way.

Sometimes in our lives The Dip isn’t to be rebuked, but understood in light of God’s purpose.

Sometimes our lives hit The Dip because life throws something we didn’t see coming.

Plans. We can make them for just about anything. Plans for savings, school, life and travel are all things we can (and should) make plans about. Yet there are other things that happen to us that we never planned for our lives such as job-loss, sickness, divorce or tragedies. These are things no one plans for, yet they happen all the time. Today we want to talk about the life you may not have planned, but find yourself living.

All of our lives experience moments that we don’t plan for and they catch us off guard. One thing I know for certain is, whether our life has unfolded exactly as planned or not, God is still trustworthy.

Sometimes our lives hit The Dip because of the decisions of those close to us.

Living life in community with family and friends is as God designed our lives to function. We have gifts that other people need. We are better together than apart. While that is fully true, there is another side to this equation. Life in community, as God designed, is also ripe with challenges and sometimes pain. That is why today’s discussion is essential for all our lives.

All of our lives have hit The Dip because of the decisions of someone close to us. The question is have we gone through or taken up residence in The Dip as result of their decisions?

Sometimes our lives hit The Dip because of the decisions we make.

Today we want to look at two sides of a bad decision. First, the one that puts us in a vulnerable position. Second, how God speaks to us in the midst of our mess.

Even if a dumb decision lands your life in The Dip, I have good news. God is the same whether you are on the mountain top or passing through the valley. In fact, if truth be known, it is almost always in The Dip where growth happens when we allow God in.