This chapter was great. So many relevant topics to discuss.
However, one topic in particular stood out to me. If something else stood out
to you, let’s talk about it. But here is what the Lord said to me this week.
I was just telling
a friend “I get so afraid that while praying for God to show me what HIS will
is, somehow I’ll miss His signs, or worse, I will let my desire for my own plan
to supersede His, and I will take what I think
is a sign, and let my own will win out.
“We want an itinerary for our life, and when God doesn’t
immediately produce one, we set out to write our own. “
“I need to know. Will it happen? Should I prepare for
heartbreak?”
or my personal favorite, “Should I start thinking of a backup plan?”
Ha.
God says softly “No, you need to TRUST me.”
How do we know when something is just an obstacle given to
us BY God to strengthen our faith, or is that obstacle a round-a-bout way of
God saying “no”.
How will I know His answer? Will He answer?
Yes, 100% yes. Just maybe not in the context we want.
And when he doesn’t answer like we wanted we
think:
“You aren’t listening.
You don’t care.
Can’t you see I’m torn apart; I’m empty, I’m hurting.
This can all change Lord, can you please just answer my
prayer.”
God became one of us so that when we ask, “Lord don’t you
care?
We can know without a doubt that He does. He felt what we
feel. He was tortured. He died.
Did you read that? He was put to death.
Of course He cares. He felt what we feel and then some!
The fact is, until we
stop doubting God’s goodness, we can’t experience His love.
He does have our
ultimate good in mind.
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3 comments:
"Life isn't fair." I guess this is where I want to stomp my feet and throw myself on the ground…But Jesus dying on the cross wasn't fair either. Yet, out of unconditional love for us he went willingly to the cross.
In a world where we expect fast results and no waiting, it is hard to accept his words of " Trust me child, I have your ultimate good in mind."
I have found in my life that those times of waiting and saying YES to God were my deepest moments of growth and where I have felt His presence the most. When my life was going perfectly I didn't see my need for God. I thought I could do it all on my own. But when I was stripped down and exposed I saw how broken and lost I was. Everyday is a constant conversation with God…I need you to give me faith today…I need to hear your voice….I need you to provide wisdom. He always shows up. He really does. Yet it isn't always in the way or answer I think it should be. But I am believing HIS PLANS ARE GREATER THAN MINE.
I also love how the author addresses Satan's "simple" plan of the Three D's. Distraction, Discouragement, and Doubt. I can't tell you how many times I get distracted and "too busy for God" and come to find myself discouraged and feeling alone. Yet the moment I call out to God he answers. Doubt, out of all three, is Satan's biggest weapon in my eyes. When we doubt the goodness and nature of God, Satan celebrates. Yet, when we speak out against doubt and bring light upon hard situations, Satan's power is instantly stripped from him.
I encourage all of us to talk to a friend or a family member this week and expose a situation of distraction, discouragement or doubt that Satan meant for evil and turn it into Glory for God.
As women of faith, we don't have to wallow in despair, we GET to celebrate God's gift of freedom and grace. Celebrate what is truly good in your life today and thank him for it!
Praying for you all!
“What you are doing is not good… You will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it.” EXODUS 18:17-18
This verse struck my heart this week while reading this chapter. For a couple of different reasons...
First of all, I absolutely hold myself to the expectation that “there should not be any limits to what I can do”. I have realized lately that I constantly push myself to do, do, do in order to prove myself to others and to God. I do everything around the house above and beyond to prove that I am the perfect mate, I do everything at my job and more to prove that I earn my keep and deserve to continue moving up… but in reality I am enough no matter how many good things I do. I need to surrender myself to God’s plans and not want to write my own plans by doing and then expecting things in return because all that I am often left with is disappointment. I have been focused on Matthew 11:28-30; “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest… For my yoke is easy and My load is light.” I also need to be more like Mary in the sense that I need to take time to sit and listen not be distracted by all that is going on around me.
Secondly, I have a tendency to think that I have the ability to change someone. I know, sounds dumb when I say it out loud right? I am surrounded by a lot of people on a daily basis who are not Christians, and I think to myself if I am perfect and never make a mistake and set a good example maybe then I can change their heart for the Lord. Obviously I can’t. And obviously I am not perfect, I fall short every day, numerous times a day. The only perfect example is Jesus. So instead of relying on myself to change the hearts of those I love so dearly I am learning to pray for them and for myself. First for myself that the Lord would strength my own heart in the Lord and second that he would do miraculous things in the hearts of others.
In learning to rely more on God, grow stronger in prayer, and not expect perfection, it has began to bring me “rest”. I pray for all the ladies out there that feel this expectation to do, do, do, to write their own plans and feel that God and others love is reliant on what they can do for others. God loves us with his whole heart just for being us. And in that I can rest easy knowing that I am good enough for the savior and that I have the ultimate love. Give it to God.
Praying for all you ladies this week as well!
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