PRAISE ALERT

It began eight days ago through no fault of my own.  A glitch or blip in technology.  However, too impatient to wait it out, I tried to “fix it” and then it became a problem of my own doing.  The result of my technology skills?  Wiping out years, that’s right, years of emails from my husband and my joint account, including all his schooling information.

Realizing this was bigger than me, I finally called in assistance:  First, praying and asking God to fix my mistake (taking ownership of the problem) and then trusting that He had it covered.  Next, I called our computer tech to try and reclaim what I had lost.

This process took several days and while waiting, I heard from not one, but two different sources (who don’t even know each other): “The emails may be lost to you, but they aren’t lost to God.  He knows where they are.”

Yesterday, through God’s grace and our computer man’s skills, the emails were recovered.  However, as wonderful as that is, the reason I’m mentioning this praise alert today is this:  As happy as I am that the emails were recovered, I’m even happier about my response.  Instead of worrying and berating myself for my mistake (yes, mistake), I gave the problem over to God and waited in peace for Him to fix it.  I still took action (first trying to fix it myself and then calling someone who knew what they were doing), but I chose to rest in peace while waiting for the outcome.

The outcome was favorable – the emails were recovered and I didn’t have to feel guilt for losing all my husband’s important information.  The best part?  I was okay if God had chosen to answer with the alternative:  Emails lost and having to learn a very costly mistake.

I want to encourage others today through this experience:  First, God is in control.  What is a huge problem to us doesn’t even register as a problem to Him.  He already has the solution figured out so we don’t have to worry, at all.  Second, after giving God the problem, rest in peace while taking the action steps necessary as you wait for His answer.  Worrying won’t help and could possibly delay the solution.  Third, even if we receive an answer we don’t want, God can still work good out of it.

I wouldn’t have written this post just to tell you about recovered emails.  That is a great praise itself; however, to me, the bigger praise of all was the PEACE I felt during the eight days before the solution.  That is huge progress for someone who used to live her life filled with fear.  I am living testimony that faith can grow when we actively exercise our faith muscle.  Hmmm…think how awesome my ab muscles will look if I exercise those like I’ve been exercising my faith muscle.

(Side note: My husband showed me grace as well.  Even though the thought of losing all his past emails wasn’t a happy thought, he loves me enough that there was no blame.  He knows it wasn’t intentional…just inept technology skills.)