"V"aluing God's"W"ill

 Living in God's will isn't easy.  Trust me, I've questioned it, argued with God over it, stomped my foot and said NO, and yet, God waits and His Will ultimately wins.  Isn't it amazing how  God allows us to have those emotions of frustration and concern, even allowing us to think we have the option to say No.  Ha!  God is in control.  God is patient and loving beyond anything we could imagine.  He lets us have our little "tantrums" but in the end, He knows His children.  He knows our hearts.  He knows we will inevitably submit to Him who knows what is best for us.

God has a plan for your life.  Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

How on earth could we ever question a God who has plans to prosper us?  If you truly desire to live in God's will for your life, you will spend time in His Word looking and being watchful for His signs.  It's interesting to me how often times, God will lead us through a wilderness experience before He shows us His plan and walks us up the mountain for that mountain top experience.  And I am here to say, I've walked many walks through that wilderness, but never alone.  God may send us through the wilderness but He never sends us on our own.  He is always with us!  He is always aware of what is coming next on the path.  God is personal.  He has a plan for each of us that is unique, that He alone has prepared.  Each of us has our own.  No plan is identical.  Marinate on that for a minute.  God's plan for your life is yours and yours alone.  How remarkable is our God?!?!

When we moved to Minnesota in 2014, I was less than thrilled to be leaving friends, our church, my service at the Lighthouse Ministry and BSF in Savannah, GA.  I had no idea why on earth God was moving our family to this frozen area of the United States.  I questioned God. I argued with God that I was leaving a place where I was able to serve Him.   But in His time, He showed me a glimpse of my purpose.  My husband had told me from day 1 of our move, this was about me and my work for the kingdom, not his.  And I recall flippantly rolling my eyes and saying, yeah right.  But as God directed us to move to Tennessee, and I began saying my goodbyes to all my new friends and my BSF class there, I began to see validation in my husband's words.  Where I thought there was nothing I could bring, I was wrong.  I brought my joy and my love for Christ and I let that light shine.  I had no idea my light was needed, but God did and God used it.  Even though it was just for a short time, He used me.  I am proud to have the women in my life I met in Minnesota.  They are strong, devoted Christian women who spur me on, pray with me, cry with me and celebrate life with me.  Sometimes the simplest things to us are the big things for God to use.

People may make plans in their minds, but the Lord decides what they will do.- Proverbs 16:9

If we are to be dutiful disciples, we are to follow Him, trusting Him completely.  Until God's perfect plan is made known, we must walk in faith, never losing hope.  His ways are not our ways and His timing is not our timing. 

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

 Through each change in my life, I have been forced to rely on God and His perfect plan.  I don't know what He has in store for me but I can rest assured that God has already gone before me and paved a path.  I need to resist the temptation to do things "my way" and rather submit to my Father and allow Him to lead.  "With God, it's never "Plan B' or "second best".  It's always "Plan A." And, if we let Him, He'll make something beautiful of our lives." Gloria Gaither.

God has a wonderful and abundant plan for each of us.  The time to start trusting God and looking for that plan is today.  Don't waste another moment just living life your way- start living His way, today!  Start praying that God would reveal His Will to you.  Start praising God for the plan He has created just for you.  Stop fretting on your next step, but rather start trusting that your  next mountain top experience is right around the corner.  Get out of your boat and step out on the water, just like Peter, trusting God to keep you afloat.

As I look back over the last few weeks in our household, and begin to prepare for the coming days...I must continue to keep my eyes focused on my Father in heaven.  As we walk through this new season with Matthew.  As we watch him graduate and start out on a new path, I have to believe and trust that God has his future figured out.  As I walk alongside my husband through these new medical tests, I have to remain hopeful that the answers will be shown to us in God's time. 

For He knows the plans He has for my family.  Plans to prosper us, to give us hope and a future.  Oh how sweet to be loved by a loving Father in heaven who has all the details within His capable hands!  Each of us, covered by the grace of God, trusting Him with every step.

I've taken many trusting steps to get to where I am today.  There's a purpose behind God's plan.  And yep, it's true, I am confident I've missed out on some blessings along the way just trying to do things my way, but God uses all things for the good of His children.  Nothing escapes God, nothing surprises God.  God values us and so we must value His Will for each of us.