As promised...here it is!
When I was a little girl, on many occasions, I would attempt to fight with my older brother. Out of anger or playfulness, I foolishly thought I stood a chance. My brother is a big, brawny, dude and I was a skinny, awkward brat. You see the odds. I could get in, maybe...one good tackle (if I caught him by suprise). However, my brother had this secret move where he would extend his arm out in front of him and place his palm on my forhead. Since my arms weren't long enough, I would continue to move forward, forehead pressed tightly against his outstretched hand, swinging at him, but missing his stomach by a good 5 inches. He would hold me steady, I would swing at thin air. This would go on for a very long time, until I had no choice but to quit. Another important fact to remember is that if my brother had launched a full-fledged assault on me, I would be injured badly.
This is how I feel about wrestling with God, and His will. Which is what I keep doing over and over again. God loves me (as my older brother does), he knows that what I am fighting him for may not be the best for me right now, or ever. God can see future pain and wants to protect me from it. Trying to fight God is like punching air while he holds me steady until I am too exhausted to go on.
It comes down to trust. Trusting that God is a good god, who loves me enough to ruin my plans so he can implement a better one. THIS IS NOT EASY! When I want something badly, it is not easy for me to give that dream or desire to God and let him handle it, in his timing, on his terms. No way! I'm an independent woman. I'm smart and resourceful. I can make things happen for myself...right? All I have to do is tell God my plans...and he makes it happen...orrrrrr not.
God sees the result of each of our plans. In one of his writings, Max Lucado talks about how if God gave us everything we want it would be like a Father letting his child eat at every ice cream shop on the street. Yeah sure, it would be great.....until we were paralyzed in a Rocky Road coma.
Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Gods plans are good. He will let us fight until we are exhausted. He will hold us steady until we are still and allow God to be God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
Back to the skinny dork fighting the hot shot brother. If I would have taken one step back, and let go of my fight, I would have not felt the presure on my forehead, I would not have become exhausted. So if you are fighting and wrestling, and building your own path, I challenge you to let go. When you stop running in circles of the plans you are making, you can rest and wait for God to show you the one plan he has for you. Trust God that he is a good God, and a god with good plans for your life.
Proverbs 19:21- "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."
A couple quotes I would like to share with you in closing:
"No I cannot count the ways You have made my life so blessed. All I know is that You came and made beauty of my mess" Aiyesha Woods, "Happy". When God messes up our plans, he is protecting us from making our own mess.
"But You say let it go, You say let it go. You say life is waiting for the one to lose control. You say you will be, everything I need. You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul. You say let it go." -Tenth Avenue North, "Let it Go" Jesus said those who lose their life will gain it. Luke 17:33
"He had your days planned before there was time. You are thoughtfully considered, delightfully created, and loved beyond belief.
'Trust me.' God is a risky god! To bring us closer to Him, He is willing to let your foundations be shaken, your walls rattled, your pieces scattered. He was willing to flood the earth for re-growth, send a baby to be King of all, and sacrifice that very Son. He let Jesus take on our ugliest puzzle pieces so we wouldn’t be slaves to them. Ours is a god of surprises, and He asks us to trust in His master plan, crazy and painful as it may be.
Today, may all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God who is Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen." -my best friend, http://girlwithblog.blogspot.com You are loved by a God who will not rip you off.
When I was a little girl, on many occasions, I would attempt to fight with my older brother. Out of anger or playfulness, I foolishly thought I stood a chance. My brother is a big, brawny, dude and I was a skinny, awkward brat. You see the odds. I could get in, maybe...one good tackle (if I caught him by suprise). However, my brother had this secret move where he would extend his arm out in front of him and place his palm on my forhead. Since my arms weren't long enough, I would continue to move forward, forehead pressed tightly against his outstretched hand, swinging at him, but missing his stomach by a good 5 inches. He would hold me steady, I would swing at thin air. This would go on for a very long time, until I had no choice but to quit. Another important fact to remember is that if my brother had launched a full-fledged assault on me, I would be injured badly.
This is how I feel about wrestling with God, and His will. Which is what I keep doing over and over again. God loves me (as my older brother does), he knows that what I am fighting him for may not be the best for me right now, or ever. God can see future pain and wants to protect me from it. Trying to fight God is like punching air while he holds me steady until I am too exhausted to go on.
It comes down to trust. Trusting that God is a good god, who loves me enough to ruin my plans so he can implement a better one. THIS IS NOT EASY! When I want something badly, it is not easy for me to give that dream or desire to God and let him handle it, in his timing, on his terms. No way! I'm an independent woman. I'm smart and resourceful. I can make things happen for myself...right? All I have to do is tell God my plans...and he makes it happen...orrrrrr not.
God sees the result of each of our plans. In one of his writings, Max Lucado talks about how if God gave us everything we want it would be like a Father letting his child eat at every ice cream shop on the street. Yeah sure, it would be great.....until we were paralyzed in a Rocky Road coma.
Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Gods plans are good. He will let us fight until we are exhausted. He will hold us steady until we are still and allow God to be God.
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."
Back to the skinny dork fighting the hot shot brother. If I would have taken one step back, and let go of my fight, I would have not felt the presure on my forehead, I would not have become exhausted. So if you are fighting and wrestling, and building your own path, I challenge you to let go. When you stop running in circles of the plans you are making, you can rest and wait for God to show you the one plan he has for you. Trust God that he is a good God, and a god with good plans for your life.
Proverbs 19:21- "You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail."
A couple quotes I would like to share with you in closing:
"No I cannot count the ways You have made my life so blessed. All I know is that You came and made beauty of my mess" Aiyesha Woods, "Happy". When God messes up our plans, he is protecting us from making our own mess.
"But You say let it go, You say let it go. You say life is waiting for the one to lose control. You say you will be, everything I need. You said if I lose my life it's then I'll find my soul. You say let it go." -Tenth Avenue North, "Let it Go" Jesus said those who lose their life will gain it. Luke 17:33
"He had your days planned before there was time. You are thoughtfully considered, delightfully created, and loved beyond belief.
'Trust me.' God is a risky god! To bring us closer to Him, He is willing to let your foundations be shaken, your walls rattled, your pieces scattered. He was willing to flood the earth for re-growth, send a baby to be King of all, and sacrifice that very Son. He let Jesus take on our ugliest puzzle pieces so we wouldn’t be slaves to them. Ours is a god of surprises, and He asks us to trust in His master plan, crazy and painful as it may be.
Today, may all your expectations be frustrated, may all your plans be thwarted, may all your desires be withered into nothingness, that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God who is Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen." -my best friend, http://girlwithblog.blogspot.com You are loved by a God who will not rip you off.
1 comment:
That was really good...and really REAL.I can identify!
Thanks Danielle. :)
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