“God doesn’t do what God does because of us. God does what God does in spite of us.”
(Mark Batterson, Soulprint)
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve prayed and asked God to please be in a situation I’m facing which I didn’t know the answer to. Instead of asking Him to show me where He wants me to go, I’ve asked Him to come where I am. What I need to be doing instead of asking God to join me in the tough stuff is to open myself up and be vulnerable enough to say, “Okay, God, where do You want to take me in this situation that I’m facing?”
For instance, say you’ve been betrayed by your best friend. You had shared some extremely personal, sensitive issues from your heart and not only did this friend break your confidence, but is turning it around and blaming you in addition to pitting others against you. You see red and want God to get revenge. That seems like the best solution in your mind. However, God would rather you come to Him, knowing how hard it is to give up control and allow Him to take over, and say, “What do You want me to do in this situation, Lord? Do I confront this person in love, do I ignore the hatred and false accusations that are being told about me, do I ignore the fact that complete strangers now know my intimate business, or do I try to defend myself?”
God calls us to take the hard road sometimes. Sometimes the answers that He gives aren’t easy to follow. However, it’s easier to follow His path when we remember God sees the big picture whereas we can’t possibly see all the circumstances from our small vantage point. That’s where trust comes in. Trusting that God’s ways are best, trusting that He’s in control, and trusting He knows ultimately what the right direction is. Sometimes just obeying without knowing what the outcome will be is the only solution that will give peace in life situations that just plain stink.
What about you? Do you ask God to join you in your situation or do you ask God where He wants you to be? The difference may seem insignificant, but the answer you receive to each question might be very different.
Copyright: 2013 Cheri Swalwell