Justin McRoberts dares you to move beyond “it is what it is” thinking and become an agent of love and redemption in your household, neighborhood, and workplace.
“It is what it is”—a common phrase you hear and maybe even say yourself. But the truth is that there is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence that simply is what it is. Justin McRoberts invites you to embrace a new mindset: it is what you make of it.
With warmth, wisdom, and humor, McRoberts shares key moments from his twenty-plus years as an artist, church planter, pastor, singer-songwriter, author, neighbor, and father, passing on lessons and practices learned about making something good from what you’ve been given rather than simply accepting things as they are.
Thought-provoking but actionable, It Is What You Make of It declares that love doesn’t just win, mercy doesn’t just triumph, and light doesn’t just cast out shadow. Rather, such renewal requires the work of human hands and hearts committed to a vision of a world made right (or at least a little better). When we partner with God in these endeavors, we love the world well and honor the Creator in whose image we are made.
We will not be remembered for who our parents were or where we were born or what our socioeconomic circumstances were. We won’t be remembered for our natural talents and strengths or the opportunities we were given or the challenges we faced. In the end, each of us will be remembered for what we made with what we were given.
It is what it is. So many people feel this way when life doesn’t go as planned – and we try to accept things and move on. In this book the author dares you to not settle for the “it is what it is” thinking, and partner with God to reinvent, rethink, renew, redeem, and change the world.
This past week I’ve been feeling downhearted about being a single mom, and disheartened because the trauma bond from abuse that keeps popping up and intertwining me with depression and dispair. It’s something that I’m constantly struggling with, and I have good days and bad. I tried comforting myself this weekend with the “it is what it is” mentality, but I also expressed to God that I was tired of grieving over this and wanted to move on. The Holy Spirit showed me Jeremiah 10:19, James 5:11, and Romans 12:12.
“Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous. But I said, “Truly this is an affliction, and I must bear it.””
Jeremiah 10:19
“Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”
James 5:11
“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”
Romans 12:12
My take away from these verses is that affliction can draw us closer to Christ, or drive us away. It can be a tool to build our trust in Him, or a wrecking ball in our belief of His goodness. Those who embrace difficulties endure, and trust God to work out a good outcome for His glory.
This book was such an encouragement to me, and came just at the right time! It helped me shift my perspective from feeling like a powerlessness broken victim, to accepting Gods gift of grace as my source of my life. I loved the different stories that showed the author not settling, but making the most out of different situations. At the end of each chapter he provides thought provoking questions that are very reflective, and will have you working with God on how you can partner with Him on various passions and desires you may have in your life.
I really loved the chapter on the missing legos, it stated that even though life may not go as planned (and you may be missing a few legos from the set), all hope is not lost. You can still be thankful for the pieces that you do have, and step out in faith and trust that when you bring the pieces to God He will bless and multiply them (like the loaves and fish).
The author mentioned that we need to take a moment to grieve over the disappointments, sadness, and frustrations in our lives … or those feelings will creep back later in life and steal your happiness. He wants us to surrender and lay down the pain, the questions, the grief, the trauma, and the burdens that we carry.
“We do not want you to be unaware, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13 NABRE
God wants us to take an active part in renewing our lives, and wants us to trust Him to develop us into the person that He’s designed us to be. He will work out a good outcome for His glory. He wants us to look to him and say, “Let’s see what we can make of this.”
“”In the end, each of us will be remembered for what we made with what we were given.”
