It Is What It Is

Here's the thing: I really despise the phrase "It is what it is." I mean, really despise. I've had several people try to convince me that really it's a good phrase, a healthy phrase, a phrase of acceptance of the reality of the situation that gives you the ability to think and act from a position of what's really happening instead of thinking and acting about what you want to be true or would like to be true. But, I'm not buying that. To me, whenever I hear it (usually from these same people, by the way) it comes across as fatalistic and hopeless, and an excuse to continue in their own sin. It's not typically used as a starting point for moving forward, but a rationale to just let things be the way they are.

When it comes to matters of faith and Christianity, I'm what is called a Calvinist or Reformed, and one of the things that means is I have a very high view of God's sovereignty, his ordination and control over all events, but in no way does this make me fatalistic or hopeless. I mean, can you imagine if God had adopted this view? The earth is void and formless, well, it is what it is. Man is alone and this isn't good, eh, it is what it is. Adam and Eve will one day sin and condemn the entire human race to hell and they'll have no way of being reconciled to me. Huh, oh well, it is what it is. God is sovereign, and he is in control, but his sovereignty in no way exempts us from fighting the good fight and running the race set before us. We may not be able to choose or control where the punches come from or where the road twists and turns, but we can absolutely decide to take a dive or give up and just walk.