In the past year there have been many hard and/or surprising changes in the normalcy of life that I've had to learn to adapt too and trust God in. If anything, trust has been and will always be a learning process. It has not one time been easy to hand life over, but it has always (I've found the hard way) been necessary. Necessary because every single time that I held on, I missed out on the joy and peace the Lord wished me to have in knowing that He has every bit of it. I've never had control of my life for one day, but sometimes I pretend that I do. What a crazy concept when I would so much rather know that the Almighty is in control instead of myself. It's a sad thing knowing how much time was wasted instead of being lived fully in those moments. Change is inevitable, but change is not change to God because He is sovereign and "knows the plans He has for us." There is only a question each day to whether I will be like His faithful servant Mary and say "Whatever you say, Lord" or will I choose get in the way. One way or another His purposes will be accomplished just like His way will always be determined the best. Maybe it will not be the easiest route at the time, but it will save so much heart ache and pain in the end. He desires what's best for us--always--and I must keep that in mind. Wherever I am and whatever situation I am facing (good or bad), the God, who is always good, has given it to me. Elisabeth Elliot said, "This is what He has given us to do, this task here on earth, not the task we aspired to do, but this one. The great discrepancy between what we envisioned and what we've got force us to be real and God is our great Reality, more real than the realest of earthly conditions, an unchanging Reality. It is His providence that has put us where we are. It's where we belong. It is for us to receive it--all of it--humbly, quietly, and thankfully." Wherever I am in life, trusting in His ways is necessary to live the life God intended for me to live. Joy doesn't come from a life of easy living, but from a life that knows the goodness of God in us and in all circumstances.
On of my favorite quotes is by Jim Elliot who said, "Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living." We accept and thank God for what is given not allowing the not given to spoil it. Whether it's a hard change or it is waiting patiently for something, each involve a tremendous amount of trust. A servant would not be a good servant if he didn't trust his master. For those who desire to be His vessels, we have to understand that we cannot pick how, when, or where we are supposed to be, but we must continually live for eternity by deciding that we will bring Him glory in whatever He calls us to TODAY. While we are patiently waiting, we should be working. While things are changing, we should be accepting and trusting. Sometimes it's so difficult, but there is no doubt that it is so worth it. Life is truly a vapor and these temporary trials only last for a time. Through them we are only being refined (sometimes by the fire) and I'm learning to thank God for that.
I breathe easy tonight knowing my God is in control---my God who is always good is in control---my God who works for my good---my God who is for me----My God who knows me, intimately---My God who loves me, without condition---My God who never leaves me or forsakes me----My God who desires to guide me---My God who gave His son to die in my place that I might know Him and be able to breathe easy tonight.
All I can say is great is His faithfulness towards us.
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