Grievances

I work in a role that entails daily interactions with grievances. 

In my role, a grievance is a complaint that is brought forth and not resolved in a "reasonable amount of time" or a complaint that is brought forth after a patient is discharged from the hospital. 

I receive hundreds each year. 

Truthfully, that's not many relative to the patient volume at the hospital...but that's not how it feels to me. One day I'll have completed all of the grievances which are open and that very afternoon there will be four more. (I know, you're thinking of Frank Sinatra singing " That's life!")

When you provide a service this should be expected though, right? Someone will always disagree with something. Otherwise, we'd live in a very boring world...

To be honest, I don't mind grievances. They remind me that there is always room for improvement. 

I've recently been thinking about grievances related to my relationship with God. Sometimes I have questions or complaints about the way something is and I may ask God about it. Of course, there's not an audible response from the mouth of the Lord directly and thus I presume my own answers to my own questions. 

That's silly of me, is it not? If I have questions, shouldn't I look in the book that has His answers? I should, and that is something I'm intentionally working on each day. 

When it feels like you've asked a question and not received an answer though it can certainly be irritating. I might think to myself "chalk another up for team thanks for nothing, God". 

This is because I don't see things exactly how I want them and immediately - I blame someone else because I opine (yes, real word! it means it is my opinion) that something must be wrong with them and not me.


For that I have two thoughts. 

1. Maybe it's actually that I am seeing things wrong

2. Maybe I need to grow my relationship with Jesus so I know His heart and can see things His way...

Just kidding, I have three thoughts. 

3. Maybe - like the saying goes - everything happens for a reason...


Proverbs 16:9 (NIV) says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

What that verse says to me is that I am not in control. And you know what, I kind of like that. 

How do I come to terms with not being in control? While I can control my own thoughts and actions, I cannot control anything or anyone else. BELIEVE ME, as a mother, I have tried. 

What I am recognizing in this season of my life is this: I believe that I can come to terms with not being in control. I believe that accepting I am not in control will inherently decrease my stress and anxiety. I believe growing with Jesus will teach me how to come to these terms. I believe God is in control, He knows my grievances. I believe that in time He will open my heart to see. 

So if my grievances at work remind me there is room for improvement in healthcare, then my grievances with the Lord show me there is room for improvement in that relationship. 

That's where I'm at...learning that I don't need to be in control. Not understanding why things happen is okay, because God is in control. That gives me hope. 

-forwardspero

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