There are portions of scripture that don’t make sense to me anymore?
Why is that Joan?
Well, Jer 29:11 says, ‘I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil , to give you a future and a hope. Then look at life and its realities. So often there seems to be no way out and surely very little good if any in the struggle. 2 Tim 1:7 says ‘God has not given us a spirit of fear but of love, power and a sound mind.’ But here there is so much to be afraid of. So much death, lack, loss, uncertainty…it is so hard to understand all this in light of that scripture. Do these scriptures even make sense to you?
Yes they do.
How can that be Diane? Do you know what it means to have nothing and your children are waiting for you at home? Do you know what it means to trust God and He doesn’t come through?
Yes I know what it means to lack but I also know that God always comes through
Really? Always?
Absolutely
Well, maybe for you…I’m still waiting for him to sort me out. We have close to no food, I don’t have work to go to, I have fee balances due and no expected income, my relatives are unwell and expect support from me, the relatives who could help are busy gloating? I’ve lost hope…. Where is this God who comes through? Where is the God who provides all our needs according to HIS riches in glory? Where is the God who wishes good and not evil for me? The guide, healer, giver, grace, provision…. Where is He?
Right next to you!
Yeah, right! He’s nowhere near me!!!!
Are you sure?
Yes!!!
Absolutely sure about that?
Yes!!!
Let me ask a question
Shoot!
You are almost out of food right?
Yes!
So there’s food for today?
Yes.
Then give thanks for that.
And then?
Find the next thing to give thanks for.
Like what?
Do you have a roof over your heads?
Yes
Give thanks. Do you have clothes?
Yes.
Give thanks.
Do you have love?
Maybe
Give thanks.
Even for the maybe?
Sure… In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Everything?
Yes everything!
Even when it’s not enough?
Yes, even when it’s not enough.
Even when it’s not making sense?
Yes, even when it makes no sense.
Why?
Because it is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
What if I don’t want to?
You can choose not to but it may not really help you in the long run.
Why?
Is the fear, anger, questions, ranting etc helping you?
Maybe…
Yes or no?
No.
So why not try something new?
Fake it till I become it right?
No, absolutely not. It has to be speaking those things that are not as though they are.
Why?
It creates room for God to step in.
How?
He inhabits the praise of His people and He is looking for those who will Worship Him in spirit and truth.
How does that connect to my situation?
If you really trust Him then you’ll know that you can count on Him no matter what and all things will work out for your good according to His purpose and plan.
Maybe.
There’s no maybe with God… It’s either we trust Him or we don’t.
I can’t just trust Him on one thing and doubt Him on another?
How would that work? What if your friend or someone you care about says they trusts you with food but not with money, how would you feel?
I’d say they does not trust me at all.
So, why accord God a different status?
What do you mean?
If you want a fellow man to be fully reliable and trust you and you’d expect to be full reliable too,
Why would you expect God to be unreliable?
Mmmmh…..
If your brother says he’ll give you money on Friday but isn’t able to, what happens?
Even as I may be upset, I’ll ask when he expects to get it and wait hopeful that he’ll sort it out.
So why treat God differently?
How do you mean?
You are cutting you brother slack to sort things out another day yet you are shouting at God when He doesn’t respond on your timeline; isn’t that a double standard?
Eish! Explain!
Who is supreme, all wise, all knowing, totally able, gentle, true, good, above all, in all, through all; God or your brother?
God.
So, when HE says that He has got you covered and it is taking a while, wouldn’t you rather hold on for Him to do His thing in His time?
But His time is so long….
To Him, a day is like a thousand days and a thousand days is like a day so be patient.
Until when?
Until He provides and through whom He provides.
That will be late!
God is always on time.
Whose time?
His time!
Are you listening to yourself Diane?
Yes, why?
You sound like you are just spouting things you have read.
Oh, trust me…I know where you are as I was there just a short while ago.
Really?
Sure!
With no food, fees and supplies and no real source of it?
Yup!
What happened?
The short version…God waited until I was really still and listening and able to obey and then He broke out the supply.
How?
He taught me to ask Him for what I needed and keep my eyes focused on Him and then He would send His children to meet the needs.
How come He hasn’t come through for me and I have been here for so long?
I don’t know! You need to find time and be still with Him, in Him and He will surely answer and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.
You make is sound easy.
Oh, it wasn’t easy until I understood the depth of His love. The day I understood that I don’t have to understand everything about His plan and I just have to trust Him for today things got easier.
What do I need to do?
Be still in Him, seek Him earnestly, wait on Him, learn to trust Him.
So I need to fast and pray and go on a silent retreat?
Well, I don’t know because you need to hear from Him what you need to do.
Isn’t that what you did?
No! I didn’t.
What did you do?
I prayed and asked Him to speak to me and not to let me fall because I would surely die. Over a period my heart stilled and then I realised that He had never moved away from me. I had allowed the things around me to drown out His voice and build a wall between us. He was always there but the fear and need for control had built this thick walled bunker around me and I was confined.
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Have you allowed the things going on around you to drown out the voice of God and build a wall between you?