Pastor Mike gave another great sermon today. There were so many relevant points in it. My husband who doesn’t normally comment on the sermons, mentioned how great it was! I am only going to address a couple of the points he made, or this will be a very long post!
I love Pastor Mike’s analogy of a wiggly kid trying to get away from a hug. You remember, don’t you? An Aunt you didn’t really know would come over, comment about how much you’ve grown and then smother you in a hug? It was all you could do to get away from her! This is what we do with God. God loves us so much we often interpret it as being smothered because we want what we want when we want it. That’s not the way God works.
When I try to do things on my own, control my own life instead of relying on direction from my Father, I usually as Pastor says, “muck it up.” Why? Because my will is not God’s will. My will focuses on things of this world. I worry about what others think and say of me. I worry about politics and what is going on in our country. I worry about my job because I am a conservative Christian in a very left leaning company.
What I should be doing, need to be doing, is relying on God. He sees the whole picture. He knows what’s best. And he never said this life would be easy – even when we trust in him. John 16:33 (NIV) says: “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
What is Pastor Mike’s advice? Turn your life over to God. When you do, you will see His provision where you didn’t see it before. What does that mean? Recently I was in a job where I was miserable. I was working 50-60 hours a week. I would cry on the weekends. I was becoming more and more depressed and couldn’t figure a way out. At least not on my own. I prayed that God would show me His will for my life and if that meant staying in the current position, I would do an attitude adjustment and with His guidance, put some normalcy in my life accepting I was where He wanted me. Then something happened I never expected. Even with Covid lockdowns, I ended up having to travel to a customer site. There, I met someone from the company I work for doing what I’ve always wanted to do. We chatted and the next thing I knew, I had been hired onto the team! I trusted God and God provided.
Caution! Remember, however, it’s not what God can do for us. It is what we can do for God! Why? Because God, who is all knowing, knows what is best for us. So many of us have prayer lists that read more like Christmas lists.
Dear God (Santa), please bring me:
- A new job
- A spouse
- A baby
- A place to live
- Health
- Prosperity
- A car
- Fill in the blank
- And on and on
This is not to say what we want isn’t good. It may not, however, be the best for us. I remember in high school praying to God that the boy I was dating was Mr. Right. Then we broke up. I was devasted. Surely, there was a mistake. I prayed to God for him to be Mr. Right. Why hadn’t God listened and given me what I asked for? I didn’t understand. Today, I am so thankful God said no! In hindsight, I see Mr. Right was oh so wrong for me. Now, I am married to the most amazing man who loves me for who I am.
God looks out for us if we let Him. We want what’s good for us. God wants what’s best for us. It’s really that simple. Notice I didn’t say easy. It is not always easy living for Christ. It is not easy following His will for us when we can’t see the bigger picture. It is not easy taking ‘no’ for an answer. Just as a child ultimately listens to a parent because the parent knows better or the child is disciplined, we must listen to God or suffer the consequences of our choices.
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. Hebrews 10:36 (NLT)
Until next Sunday!
May God be with,
– PSG –
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