Reason #633
I have been looking forward to today for over a month now. I have been desperate for a day off, a day where I could get caught up, and Columbus Day was the answer. Unfortunately, there still were not enough hours in the day for me to get everything accomplished that I needed to get done, but that's okay. I made a little dent in the list, so I'll count it a success.
I sat on the bathroom counter taking off my chipped toe nail polish. I am way overdue for a pedicure. It's kind of embarrassing. Thank goodness summer is over so that no one sees my toes anymore. Aaron and I have implemented a new budget for ourselves, so little luxuries like pedicures come from my allowance. If you know me, I have a hard time letting money go so my toes may be sporting an all natural look for a while. One of these days I'll have time to paint them... maybe. Anyway, as I clipped and filed my "crispy toes" (as Aaron endearingly refers to them), I listened to the Intentional Living radio show. A man called in to talk about his crumbling marriage. I won't recount his story, but the counselor speaking to him told him not to give up on his marriage. He said he knew of plenty of marriages that were restored and the same thing could very well happen for this man, too. I won't argue with that, it could. But the key was that both of them had to make strides and put forth effort if it was going to be restored. The only person that could change the wife's heart and mindset was the wife, and the only person that could change that man's heart and mindset was himself. And I wondered what that man was praying for. I wondered what He was asking God to do. Was he asking God to change him, or was he asking God to change her? Was he asking God's will to be done, or was he praying his own will be done? I don't know what God will do for Him. I don't know how or when his prayers will be answered. But I know this very thing. God only does for us the thing that will bring the most glory to God's name. And the truth is, sometimes that's not what we had in mind.
I talked about Job the other day. He's kind of the go-to for suffering and trials, and I thought about all he went through. Do you think Job really enjoyed that? Do you think Job saw good in any of those situations while they lasted? Do you think he was glad he lost his friends, family, possessions, wealth, status, health and esteem? Job was humbled as much as a person could be. And yet through it, the Lord was receiving all the glory because of how Job was handling it. No one thinks your strange for being obedient to the Lord when things are going well. No one finds it odd for you to be thankful when you have everything. But isn't it so mind blowing when we see someone walk through a difficulty and they still praise the Lord? That's bringing glory to His name. Praising God no matter what.
And so maybe you're kind of confused about where you are in life. Maybe you're in a spot you never imagined. Or maybe you've been praying for this one thing over and over. For your marriage, for a job, for a baby, for healing. Maybe you've been asking God to do something that would seem to be only the best thing possible but it just isn't happening. Well, God is going to do the very thing that will bring the most glory to His name. And so if keeping you where you are is going to bring the most glory to His name, He isn't going to move you. If allowing you to walk through a certain circumstance is going to bring the most glory to His name, He's going to allow it. See where I am going with this? Maybe our prayers need to change. Maybe we need to pray that rather than giving us what we want or doing for us what we feel is right, we need to ask that He use us to bring glory to His name right where we are. Because, really, what God is most concerned about is how you are representing Him. He is most concerned about your salvation, not your happiness and level of comfort. And you should be thankful for that. Thankful that when it all comes down to it, God will do what is best for you, for His kingdom, for eternity.
And so trust God. Praise Him that He won't lead you to a place that isn't the absolute best for you. It doesn't mean it will be easy or fun. It doesn't mean you may not cry tears and ask questions. It doesn't mean that you will be overwhelmingly happy the entire time, but it means you will be safe. It means you will be in God's will. It means you will be most pleasing Him because you will be glorying Him. But only you can do this. Only you can chose to glorify God regardless. Regardless of what's going on, good or bad. So try it. Dig down deep, even if you don't really feel like it, and praise Him. Thank Him for being God, for being sovereign and for being in charge, and you'll be amazed at what God does with you.
#633 - Because He will only put us in circumstances that bring the most glory to His name.
“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise." - Job 36:22-24
I sat on the bathroom counter taking off my chipped toe nail polish. I am way overdue for a pedicure. It's kind of embarrassing. Thank goodness summer is over so that no one sees my toes anymore. Aaron and I have implemented a new budget for ourselves, so little luxuries like pedicures come from my allowance. If you know me, I have a hard time letting money go so my toes may be sporting an all natural look for a while. One of these days I'll have time to paint them... maybe. Anyway, as I clipped and filed my "crispy toes" (as Aaron endearingly refers to them), I listened to the Intentional Living radio show. A man called in to talk about his crumbling marriage. I won't recount his story, but the counselor speaking to him told him not to give up on his marriage. He said he knew of plenty of marriages that were restored and the same thing could very well happen for this man, too. I won't argue with that, it could. But the key was that both of them had to make strides and put forth effort if it was going to be restored. The only person that could change the wife's heart and mindset was the wife, and the only person that could change that man's heart and mindset was himself. And I wondered what that man was praying for. I wondered what He was asking God to do. Was he asking God to change him, or was he asking God to change her? Was he asking God's will to be done, or was he praying his own will be done? I don't know what God will do for Him. I don't know how or when his prayers will be answered. But I know this very thing. God only does for us the thing that will bring the most glory to God's name. And the truth is, sometimes that's not what we had in mind.
I talked about Job the other day. He's kind of the go-to for suffering and trials, and I thought about all he went through. Do you think Job really enjoyed that? Do you think Job saw good in any of those situations while they lasted? Do you think he was glad he lost his friends, family, possessions, wealth, status, health and esteem? Job was humbled as much as a person could be. And yet through it, the Lord was receiving all the glory because of how Job was handling it. No one thinks your strange for being obedient to the Lord when things are going well. No one finds it odd for you to be thankful when you have everything. But isn't it so mind blowing when we see someone walk through a difficulty and they still praise the Lord? That's bringing glory to His name. Praising God no matter what.
And so maybe you're kind of confused about where you are in life. Maybe you're in a spot you never imagined. Or maybe you've been praying for this one thing over and over. For your marriage, for a job, for a baby, for healing. Maybe you've been asking God to do something that would seem to be only the best thing possible but it just isn't happening. Well, God is going to do the very thing that will bring the most glory to His name. And so if keeping you where you are is going to bring the most glory to His name, He isn't going to move you. If allowing you to walk through a certain circumstance is going to bring the most glory to His name, He's going to allow it. See where I am going with this? Maybe our prayers need to change. Maybe we need to pray that rather than giving us what we want or doing for us what we feel is right, we need to ask that He use us to bring glory to His name right where we are. Because, really, what God is most concerned about is how you are representing Him. He is most concerned about your salvation, not your happiness and level of comfort. And you should be thankful for that. Thankful that when it all comes down to it, God will do what is best for you, for His kingdom, for eternity.
And so trust God. Praise Him that He won't lead you to a place that isn't the absolute best for you. It doesn't mean it will be easy or fun. It doesn't mean you may not cry tears and ask questions. It doesn't mean that you will be overwhelmingly happy the entire time, but it means you will be safe. It means you will be in God's will. It means you will be most pleasing Him because you will be glorying Him. But only you can do this. Only you can chose to glorify God regardless. Regardless of what's going on, good or bad. So try it. Dig down deep, even if you don't really feel like it, and praise Him. Thank Him for being God, for being sovereign and for being in charge, and you'll be amazed at what God does with you.
#633 - Because He will only put us in circumstances that bring the most glory to His name.
“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise." - Job 36:22-24
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