Our work in our own self-effort actually hinders the work
of the Lord (2 Chronicles 5:14). We spin our wheels by attempting to make
things happen on our own. We end up frustrated, anxious and even angry at
times.
Yet, if we put our needs and the direction of our life
into God's capable hands, and allow His Holy Spirit to guide each moment of our
day, we end up in the right place at the right time.
If we do not have what we want or what we think we need,
we can be sure that God does not think we need it at this moment of time. We
often get bored and want a change or feel desperate in some area and decide
that we know what is best for us.
Yet, when we release all negative emotions and wait on
the Lord's direction, we end up receiving even more and infinitely better than we
ever had in our whole life (Ephesians 3:20-21).
My sister-in-Christ needed a new house. She combed the
papers daily and worked with several rental agencies, desperate to find a new
place to live. She falsely believed that it was up to her to relocate her
family.
After many months and an inordinate amount of stress and
time of spinning her wheels, she gave up, prayed for God's will and timing and
entered His rest. She listened to His Spirit each succeeding day. Within a
week, she had the perfect home for her family.
Another Believer had a similar story with a job. When she
decided to abide in God's rest, she lost her desperate drive. She joyfully
turned down a few jobs that God made clear to her were not His will for her.
Within a month she had the best job in which she ever worked in her entire life
and is so fulfilled and joyful now.
A widowed Believer strongly desired a new
husband. She tried every avenue she could think of to find a husband. Once she
surrendered her need to the Lord, she had peace and enjoyed her life as a
single person.
Two years later, she met her new husband at the sickbed
of a dear friend. The ailing woman highly recommended each of her single
friends to one another and they started dating.
Within a few weeks, they realized that they were very
much in love, enjoying the complete peace of the Lord and were married at the
bedside of their dying friend. Years later, they are still head over heels in
love with one another.
As we cease from our striving and trade our self-efforts
for surrender to God's will, we start to serve God from a position of rest, daily
obedience to His Spirit's guidance and an uncompromising desire to live in the
center of God's will (Philippians 4:7).
Prayer:
Father God, thank You for teaching us to cease from
living life in our own wisdom and strength, and from running through life with
anxiety and stress, which make us unhappy and unfulfilled in every way. Help us
to be grateful to You for every aspect of our life and to be satisfied with
Your provision and timing.
Enable us to enter into Your complete trust and rest
(John 14:27). Help us to be more concerned with Your will than our own, more
eager to seek Your Kingdom than our own, and realizing that You will give us
everything we need in Your timing and way (Matthew 6:33).
Thought for the Day:
Let gratitude for God's daily provision, as well as the
peace of the Lord, fill your heart to overflowing, trusting God to work out all
things for your ultimate good.
- Colossians 3:15; Romans 8:28
