Jeremiah the prophet was speaking to the Israelite exiles in Babylon when he penned this verse. This promise, that the Lord’s plans for His people are so much better than His people’s own plans for their lives, was given after instructions of how the Israelites were to live for 70 years. To paraphrase this passage from my point of view; the Lord asks the Israelites to do things His way and in return He will turn their lives into what is best for them. For modern application, if I walk as the Lord asks me to, then I can trust that what He has in store for me is better than what I can put together for myself.
With this in mind I would like to share a story:
The full-time job opportunity given to me began in December; January 7th, was the first full week of this job. I was working full-time along side a woman who has spent more than 20 years doing Women’s Ministry. Oh, the experience I was going to get, and the mentorship that I couldn’t get anywhere else! God had finally supplied everything my family needed and then some. Our bills would all be paid, and I was still able to take classes alongside my husband to complete my degree in Women’s Ministry. This was going to be great.
That night I cried for 2 solid hours, thought of every way that my life was completely destroyed and how tortured I will be for the upcoming months. I told the Lord how He was wrong and this wasn't what was best for my family. I battled in those 2 hours of crying, a great desire to be angry at God's decision for me. Yes, I was pregnant, Yes, I am pregnant. Yes, my world is changing; my body is changing, and I am often on the edge of crying. This is not my first child; in fact this is my third child. My third sweet, innocent, bundle of boy...oh, I mean joy...
Had the Lord forgotten His promise to take care of me, to bring things into my life that were good for me? How was a new addition to our lives going to be good? My new job would cease; classes would be put on hold. How is this going to be anything but a roadblock?
The Bible tells me that children are a blessing from the Lord and that I should get a full quiver...or maybe that my husband should have one...whatever it is :) Could I trust that this was part of God’s plan for my life? That through adding to our family, that my life would truly be better than my plan to continue in my perfect job and finish my degree?
Trust, trust God, trust what God tells me through His Word. Isaiah says “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (26:3) God’s Word calls me to trust Him, and in return I will be in perfect peace! Perfect peace, oh to fully understand what that is. But God says it right to me, all I have to do is trust Him. Trust Him with my life everyday even after my salvation day; trust Him with my family, the increasing of members and the decreasing. Trust Him that His way is better than my way, that He alone knows what is best for me.
Since the day of discovery, my family has been on a crazy ride with God. One month later God brought a pastor into my youth pastor husband’s life. This pastor was looking for a church planting family and through a series of unexplainable events, lead him to my husband and our family. April 1st we officially became church planters in the city of New Orleans. I did give up my perfect job, and I have taken a different degree. Within the next month we will be moving and about a month later we will welcome our new little man into our family. All of which would be so much harder if I were doing life my way.
Trust, even when you don’t see the end, even when it looks to you like the worst possible way to achieve anything good. Trust God because He asks you to and because He can be trusted with our everyday, our every decision, our every step.
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