Reason #332
I don't know what causes the brain to remember. I don't know how the brain decides to retain certain pieces of information and forget others. Maybe it's a special chemical. Maybe, subconsciously, we are telling ourselves whether or not we need to remember this. Maybe it depends on the person, the situation, the setting, the time. I don't know. But there are things that happen in life we never forget. Things we'll always remember. The details may always be vivid or they may mix together over time. Either way, some things you just never forget.
I remember this time last year. In fact, it took place over the span of the next few days. They drug on as if time stood still. Things were happening that I just couldn't believe. Really, this was the crucial phase, when God was moving mountains and shedding light on the truth. All had come to a head and I didn't know what to do. I was angry, hurt, disappointed, uncertain, shocked, mostly numb. I didn't know how I felt to be honest. I remember staying up until all hours of the morning seeking wisdom and advice from my mom as I vented out my frustrations. Things I had known but were now confirmed. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. I couldn't understand what God was asking me to do. I felt like I had two options and I wasn't sure which was the lesser of two evils. I went back and forth making pros and cons lists in my head trying my best to solve this problem. Come up with a good solution. But there just didn't seem to be one either way. And so it was if I was between a rock and a hard spot, as they say. I had come to a fork in the road and neither path looked more desireable than the other. And so I spent the weekend in prayer. My family did too. In fact, although this hasn't been quite confirmed, I have a feeling they were on their knees desperately praying that God would pour out His divine wisdom and that His, and only His, will would prevail. I had been praying so diligently for one thing, and as it appeared that God was answering, I wasn't so sure how I wanted Him to answer it anymore. Up until this point, I thought I had it figured out.
God made it clear. Loud and clear, and God's will most definitely prevailed. And so sometimes you find yourself in a situation and you wonder how in the world He is going to bring good from it. He promises He'll do it, but some times it just seems a little too far gone for that to happen. When God doesn't answer our requests as requested, when we've asked fully believing He will answer, having complete faith that He hears and will work it out, and then things go differently, it's hard to wrap your mind around it. Maybe that's just me, but I had a hard time seeing and understanding why He was allowing this to happen. But time is a good teacher and time gives us proper perspective. And here's what I learned. God knows what is coming and when He answers, it is always for our good. God works on our behalf, for our benefit. And so often, we don't really know what we're asking of Him. We have such limited vision and thought capacity and so we just ask selfishly. We ask according to what makes sense in our finite minds. But that's where faith steps in. Faith steps in and says, "Lord, this is really what I desire. This is what I want to ask of you. But I trust you. I trust that you will answer in the best possible way. I believe that you're going to work this out for the best. I trust that you will bring good from it even though I can't see how right now. I believe that you have good things in store. I believe that you have a good and perfect plan for my life, and I trust that you will make it happen."
Tonight, as I reflect back, I see that. I see that God answered in the best possible way. Not the way I expected or requested, but He definitely worked things out for my benefit. And, just as He is so capable of always doing, He brought good from a yucky situation. God knew what I needed. God knew, deep down, what my heart's desires were. And He met them. He answered my prayers in such an unexpected, incredible way that I never saw coming. He went above and beyond anything I would have imagined or ever even though to ask for and He answered in the best possible way. I didn't think it was possible, but He made it happen. And I praise Him for it. Every day, I praise Him for answering the way He did. Because I didn't know what was lying ahead. I didn't know what was in store. But He did. He placed it there, prepared the path for me, and then faithfully walked me down it. I'm glad it's the path He chose for me. And even though it wasn't an easy journey, I wouldn't dare go back and take the other path. And so we trust. When we can't see, when we've come to a fork in the road and both paths look equally undesireable, we trust Him and follow Him regardless of whether or not it is what we want. Because faith isn't about seeing. Faith isn't about knowing exactly what lies around the corner. Faith is blindly following a God who has never let you down and trusting that He will always do what's best for you.
#332 - Because He did what was best for me.
"No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you." - Psalm 25:3-5
I remember this time last year. In fact, it took place over the span of the next few days. They drug on as if time stood still. Things were happening that I just couldn't believe. Really, this was the crucial phase, when God was moving mountains and shedding light on the truth. All had come to a head and I didn't know what to do. I was angry, hurt, disappointed, uncertain, shocked, mostly numb. I didn't know how I felt to be honest. I remember staying up until all hours of the morning seeking wisdom and advice from my mom as I vented out my frustrations. Things I had known but were now confirmed. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. I couldn't understand what God was asking me to do. I felt like I had two options and I wasn't sure which was the lesser of two evils. I went back and forth making pros and cons lists in my head trying my best to solve this problem. Come up with a good solution. But there just didn't seem to be one either way. And so it was if I was between a rock and a hard spot, as they say. I had come to a fork in the road and neither path looked more desireable than the other. And so I spent the weekend in prayer. My family did too. In fact, although this hasn't been quite confirmed, I have a feeling they were on their knees desperately praying that God would pour out His divine wisdom and that His, and only His, will would prevail. I had been praying so diligently for one thing, and as it appeared that God was answering, I wasn't so sure how I wanted Him to answer it anymore. Up until this point, I thought I had it figured out.
God made it clear. Loud and clear, and God's will most definitely prevailed. And so sometimes you find yourself in a situation and you wonder how in the world He is going to bring good from it. He promises He'll do it, but some times it just seems a little too far gone for that to happen. When God doesn't answer our requests as requested, when we've asked fully believing He will answer, having complete faith that He hears and will work it out, and then things go differently, it's hard to wrap your mind around it. Maybe that's just me, but I had a hard time seeing and understanding why He was allowing this to happen. But time is a good teacher and time gives us proper perspective. And here's what I learned. God knows what is coming and when He answers, it is always for our good. God works on our behalf, for our benefit. And so often, we don't really know what we're asking of Him. We have such limited vision and thought capacity and so we just ask selfishly. We ask according to what makes sense in our finite minds. But that's where faith steps in. Faith steps in and says, "Lord, this is really what I desire. This is what I want to ask of you. But I trust you. I trust that you will answer in the best possible way. I believe that you're going to work this out for the best. I trust that you will bring good from it even though I can't see how right now. I believe that you have good things in store. I believe that you have a good and perfect plan for my life, and I trust that you will make it happen."
Tonight, as I reflect back, I see that. I see that God answered in the best possible way. Not the way I expected or requested, but He definitely worked things out for my benefit. And, just as He is so capable of always doing, He brought good from a yucky situation. God knew what I needed. God knew, deep down, what my heart's desires were. And He met them. He answered my prayers in such an unexpected, incredible way that I never saw coming. He went above and beyond anything I would have imagined or ever even though to ask for and He answered in the best possible way. I didn't think it was possible, but He made it happen. And I praise Him for it. Every day, I praise Him for answering the way He did. Because I didn't know what was lying ahead. I didn't know what was in store. But He did. He placed it there, prepared the path for me, and then faithfully walked me down it. I'm glad it's the path He chose for me. And even though it wasn't an easy journey, I wouldn't dare go back and take the other path. And so we trust. When we can't see, when we've come to a fork in the road and both paths look equally undesireable, we trust Him and follow Him regardless of whether or not it is what we want. Because faith isn't about seeing. Faith isn't about knowing exactly what lies around the corner. Faith is blindly following a God who has never let you down and trusting that He will always do what's best for you.
#332 - Because He did what was best for me.
"No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you." - Psalm 25:3-5
Comments
Post a Comment