Leave It to God

Trust: “Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

God has been dealing with me in the area of trust for a while now.  I have learned how to trust Him, but that doesn’t mean I always get it right or that I don’t find myself in situations at times where my default button is pushed automatically and I resort to panic or fear.  The stronger I get in this area, the fewer those times are, but they still occur.  As with everyone, some situations are naturally easier for trust to occur and other conditions are ripe for worry or second guessing.

I had a situation occur a few months ago where God led me slowly and patiently, wanting me to learn so much more than the “big lesson” that was being presented.  I was given a terrific opportunity but wanted to make sure that I was obeying and following God’s lead, not stepping out ahead or dragging behind what He wanted me to do.  After praying about it, fasting, and talking to my husband, I felt that I was given the green light and proceeded to walk forward at a steady pace.

Now, one of the lessons I learned from this was that just because God gives a green light, does not always mean that the path will be grassy, smooth, and easy to travel.  There will still be boulders in the way, rocks to step on and over, and crevices and pits that need to be navigated.  After all, we live here on Earth and sometimes life is just hard.  We’re certainly not perfect and those we interact with aren’t perfect people either.  So, I found myself staring at quite a few barriers.  I was given a choice of how to react.  I could either react humanly and fight for “my rights,” creating a negative experience for everyone, or pray, asking God to direct what He wanted me to do.

That was the first lesson that I was taught, which we talked about the last time.  I learned that I needed to be willing to walk where God wanted me to go instead of asking Him to come and walk down the path I thought was best.  After realizing the subtle difference between those two statements, I realigned my thinking to make sure I was being fully obedient and started walking.  God then asked me to do some tough stuff.  He knows my comfort zone, He knows how much I hate conflict and turmoil and confrontation, but He also knows that in order for me to live the abundant life He desire for me to live, I need to grow in those areas, learning how to confront in love, compromise, and continue to see others through His eyes instead of my own.  His eyes broaden the picture, give me a glimpse into what the other person might be dealing with in addition to “our situation,” and overall allow me to have compassion; not excusing the behavior per se, but allowing for some grace while instituting healthy boundaries.

I chose to have the hard conversations needed.  I chose to ignore certain behavior while confronting in love other issues that needed to be addressed, and then I took my hands off, trusting God that He was in the solution even more than He had been involved with me in the problem (He’s a very hands on God when we invite Him into every situation we are facing).

I was shocked, surprised, and blessed by the results that God allowed.  I shouldn’t be shocked since God loves me and wants the best for me, but nevertheless, the blessings that He gave were far beyond anything I could have dreamed up for myself.  While I am still experiencing some pits, detours, and unexpected road blocks, He is showing me through the road construction that He loves me and He’s in control.

I want to encourage those of you who are experiencing hardships right now.  When we ask God to show us what direction He wants us to take instead of pleading with Him to go our route, the blessings come faster, the blessings are bigger, and even though we may still be experiencing rough patches or the situation isn’t resolved, God shows us that He is in the driver’s seat, working things out.  The more we stay out of the way and allow God to work for us, the better the results will be.  I can’t guarantee the timing, I can’t promise what blessings will be received, but I have confidence that God is at work to create beauty from pain, happiness from tears, and blessings from despair when we ask Him to drive our lives, our mess, and our situations.  Not asking Him to join our agenda but us being willing to follow His.

Copyright: 2013 Cheri Swalwell