Morning Devotional
January 25, 2003
“Woe Is Me!”
by Don Emmitte

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the path where I should walk, O LORD; point out the right road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O LORD, your unfailing love and compassion, which you have shown from long ages past. Forgive the rebellious sins of my youth; look instead through the eyes of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O LORD. The LORD is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them his way. The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees. (Psalm 25:3-10 NLT).

I overheard someone recently say, “If you think the problem is bad now, just wait until we’ve solved it!” That sparked my interest in looking at some of the quotes dealing with optimism. I came across the following “Chisolm Effect.” It is a listing of “basic laws of frustration, mishap, and delay.” They are a little humorous, but do speak volumes in our culture.

“Chisholm Effect: Basic laws of frustration, mishap, and delay”:
1st law of human interaction: If anything can go wrong, it will.
Corollary: If anything just can’t go wrong, it will anyway.
2nd law. When things are going well, something will go wrong.
Corollary: When things just can’t get any worse, they will.
Corollary 2: Anytime things appear to be going better, you have overlooked something.
3rd law. Purposes, as understood by the purposer, will be judged otherwise by others.
Corollary: If you explain so clearly that nobody can misunderstand, somebody will.
Corollary 2: If you do something that you are sure will meet with everybody’s approval, somebody won’t like it.
Corollary 3: Procedures devised to implement the purpose won’t quite work.
Corollary 4: No matter how long or how many times you explain, no one is listening.

I am constantly amazed at the pessimism of the general population. It is especially true with the uncertainty of the future we find ourselves living with. There is financial, political, and military uncertainty that DOES exist. However, there is also a wonderful promise that should override all of these concerns. God promises to extend His forgiveness and unfailing love toward us forever. That erases our past and secures our future. We may laugh at those who hold to such philosophies as the Chisolm Effect and know that the grace of our God is more than enough to keep us through the ages! Take heart and leave the “Woe Is Me Syndrome” behind forever in His grace.