This past week Jordan Stapleton, a recent Hamblen County graduate, spoke with groups of middle school students about making the most out of their high school experience and developing that strong "work ethic" that we all know is necessary to be successful in life. I personally did not get to hear Jordan speak, but one particular thought that Jordan shared has resonated with me ever since the moment it was brought to my attention. This young, 20 year-old adult, who now has a supervisory position at one of our local businesses didn't come up in an environment which afforded him the support and guidance we commonly expect all children will receive as they grow and mature. From his account life was tough and he was slowly becoming a product of his environment. That's when he made a revelation that turned his life completely around. That revelation created a mantra in Jordan's life that not only helped him get his life on track to move forward, but also his declaration has provided me with today's Flat Tire Ministries Thought. In life, there are certain things that are out of our hands, we have no physical control over, and that is just the way it is, but in life there exists so many things that we can have an impact on, and that's where Jordan made the decision to "control the controllables" in his life.
I'm not sure if Jordan Stapleton has realized what an important realization he has made at such a young age, but I will say if he gets a firm grip on his concept of controlling the things in his life that are controllable, and then he comes to terms with the fact that everything that is out of his control is fully and completely in the hands of our Maker, Jordan Stapleton is going to be just fine. What are "controllables" you ask? Well to me those are all the things that impact your day in which your decision to go right or go left make a difference in the outcome of your day. For example, I see many people that spend a great deal of their time with their face stuck in a mobile device. That my friend is a controllable. If you struggle with making deadlines, you feel like you aren't getting things checked off your things to get done list, or your life just seems to be stuck in a rut, then you have to make some changes that will get the ball rolling. I'm not saying social media doesn't have a place in society, but I am saying it has a place and it isn't all day long and it isn't meant to replace real productivity, which leads to making deadlines, getting things accomplished, and allowing you to set goals and reach them. What about rest and sleep? Food choices, junk food or healthy choices? Exercise or sedimentary? The choice is yours. All of these areas of your life fit into the "controllables" category.
Jordan's speech to the students was centered around "work ethic" which is a topic I deal with in my position as Career and Technical Education Supervisor. Many people call them "soft" skills, I prefer to use a term I picked up this summer and call them "power" skills. These are a set of skills that tend to set people up to be successful in the work place and also in life. Being on time, being there period, working on a team, passing a drug screen, pushing yourself to be the best you can be, and opening yourself up to new opportunities and then gleaning all you can from those opportunities to enhance who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing in life. Those are all controllables, we may have to work hard to make some of those choices and decisions, yet at the end of the day, we do make those choices. Good or bad. If you want to get better at your job, read books and watch podcasts that are related to your job field. Say there aren't many jobs about being a great dishwasher out there? Well that may be so, but you can read about how to become an entrepreneur from the ground up or watch a video series about how to raise yourself up the ladder in your work station in life. Unfortunately, many people instead make the choice to sit in front of a television watching reruns of some show with about as much worth in it as a bag of air. The key here is how we spend our "free" time is ours to control, how we improve ourselves is ours to control, and what we do to change our lives for the better or for the worse is ours to choose as well.
But what about those things that we can't control? What about when we go to the doctor and the news isn't what we wanted to hear? How about when unforeseen accidents happen and the lives of those we love are impacted and altered? Loss of job, loss of spouse, loss of everything we personally own, what about those "uncontrollables" in life? Uncontrollable events and circumstances are part of life just as much as those things that we can control. The problem is when we hit an uncontrollable we want to control it, we want to make it right, but that just isn't possible. That's tough. But there is an answer. Those that know it can be at peace in a storm. Those that have found the strength to go forward when they are faced with insurmountable mountains will tell you that it is only by submitting to the omnipotent mercy and grace of God that they are able to face these uncontrollable forces in life.
The apostle Paul reminds us “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. To tell someone to place their trust in God to see them through the uncontrollables they are experiencing may sound like an easy answer that doesn't provide a ready- made solution to the matter at hand and that has a certain degree of truth in it. What you must do is place your trust in God, that unwavering faith that God has a plan, His plans are bigger than anything we could ever imagine, and that our job is to keep moving forward taking charge of the things we can control and allowing God to take care of the rest. Our mind has to be set on the truth that whatever is going on in life, it is only preparing me to handle what is coming up next. That's called faith, and a faith like that is founded in a relationship with God. Just calling on Him when the storm hits won’t give you the strength you need to battle the uncontrollable event in your life. You have to believe, you have to commit to nurturing your relationship with God, and you must hold firm to the belief that God is with you and will be with you no matter the outcome. “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10.
So, in life there are the controllables which Jordan Stapleton spoke wisely about with our students this past week, and then there are those uncontrollables that we must submit to our Father in Heaven and place our trust and our faith in Him to see us through the storms of life and the uncontrollable events we will most certainly encounter. For me having God's assurance that He will always be with me allows me to confidently and courageously move forward! My prayer for each of you is that you too can know the peace of God in your uncontrollable situations in life, and that you will boldly take charge of all of the controllable aspects of your life.
Coach Carter
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