God equips us to live in His abundant life, but we do not
recognize it, because we are too worried about some aspect in our worldly life.
We want this person, place or thing more than we want to live in the will of
God.
In my walk with the Lord, I have learned that if I do not
have something I think that I need, or that I want so much that it consumes my
every waking and sleeping thought, it is because God does not want me to have
it.
God protects us by withholding from us what is not good
for us at this time. If I go out and procure my desire for myself, if I settle
for second best and choose my way instead of God's way, I am always
disappointed and I cause trouble for myself.
If I focus instead on loving God with each moment, He
will provide for me what I need in order for me to accomplish His will for my
life. In His provision, which He gives me in His way and timing, I find
complete fulfillment, peace and joy.
God has a perfect plan for our life. Altering that plan
will bring us discontentment, suffering and unhappiness. He supplies us with
His church and the world around us to give us opportunities to serve Him, which
helps us to find pure joy in our day.
There is a time for grief in our life too. We can journal
our feelings, allow our tears to wash away our grief and tuck our thoughts and
feelings in the heart of God for His safe keeping.
I actually purchased a heart-shaped box and I write all
of my desires and concerns on little slips of paper in that box. Then when I
think about them again, I remind myself that they are in the heart of God, and
He will care for them for me (1 Peter 5:7).
I review my little box from time to time and write the
date that God answered that prayer and supplied those needs in His timing and
way. This builds up my faith and also prevents me from living in torment from
overwhelming grief and worries which I cannot control.
Prayer:
Father God, when we are consumed by longings for what we
do not have, we are actually insulting You and Your provision for our life. We
beg You, quote scriptures at You and attempt to control You by having faith in
what we interpret as Your promises. Teach us to enter Your rest and to trust in
Your provision.
You are sovereign over the world and our life. You give
us what You want us to have when You want us to have it. Remind us that as we
seek You and Your Kingdom first, You will provide us with what we require, even
if it is often not what we think we want. Your provision is always better than
our desires, because You know what is best for us and You have our best
interest at heart.
Thought for the Day:
If our faith in God is vibrant, and full of awe and
expectation, we will be open to move into the deeper waters of faith and
committed service to Him, as we allow Him to provide for us what we need to
live in fulfillment and contentment.
