Learning to Live Within God's Will.

Lately Ada and I have been talking about learning to live within God's will and accepting His timing. In this life I have learned that as humans we are expecting instant gratification. We want what we want, and once we decide what that "want" is, we want it NOW.   Wouldn't that be cool if we could just snap our fingers and get whatever it is we wish for?------  Or maybe not... What if getting everything easily made us less appreciative? Less willing to wait for THE GOOD THINGS, THE IMPORTANT THINGS, THE PRECIOUS THINGS. 

I have struggled in recent years with understanding God's perfect timing.  God has perfect timing for everything.  Perfect timing for your job, perfect timing for your marriage, perfect timing for procreation.  Sometimes we question Him.  WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME WAIT? WHY? We get mad at God...We get angry. We've waited enough. We are sick of waiting. We just want what we think can make us happy.  

In reality, He is the only thing that can ever make us completely and wholely happy within our souls. Our true happiness from other things only comes THROUGH Him.  He is the ultimate giver of everything that is truly good and joyful! 

I have married friends who have suffered multiple miscarriages, and after the miscarriages suffered through several months of not being able to get pregnant.  Once they were finally pregnant again, my friend felt as if she could not enjoy the pregnancy.  She was fearful every moment for what might happen.  She had been traumatized by the loss of previous babies that she wanted so badly.  Of course she was terrified.  What woman wouldn't be?  In conversation with her one day she spoke candidly about this fear.  This was an almost debilitating fear that her pregnancy was too good to be true.  She feared that something she might do could harm the baby.  She feared that God wouldn't let her dreams come to fruition... that He would take this baby too, this baby that she had longed for. 

When she spoke of these fears, I felt called to speak.  I rarely have "moments", but this was a "moment" for me.   I felt like someone else was speaking through me. Like HE was speaking through me.   

I spoke about my journey to understanding God's perfect timing and my struggle with it.  I have been down several times in life, and felt like I had been kicked at my lowest and couldn't go on, and questioned WHY ME? WHAT DID I DO?  God, why cant you just give me what I want?  

When this happens, I have learned to think of someone I know personally or someone in the Bible who went through something far worse than the storm I am going through.  For me, that really hits home; It puts into perspective that God has a perfect plan for my life, and even though I may not understand that plan, it is HIS and it is perfect.  I should be still and trust HIM.  He makes us face our troubles for a reason.  We may NEVER understand our path, but it is our path regardless, and one day we will get our reward in the kingdom of heaven for trusting in His will over our wants.  

All of those times that we are fearful and feel sorry for ourselves Satan wants us to falter and question why God would put us on this path or let us go through something so bad. Stop questioning your path! Do not let Satan and fear rob you of the happiness that Jesus has for you!  Satan wants you to stop believing that God is there with you every step of the way.  Satan wants you to believe that Jesus will never make you happy. Do not fall victim to this fear that Satan puts on you. 

This brought me to scripture that  I have read a hundred times.  

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace not evil, and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

The context is especially important for this verse.  The Lord doesn't give us what we want, but what is necessary for doing His work. Trust that your trials are an opportunity to become closer to Him and that you can ultimately share your testimony and lead others to Christ. Once you think about it, isn't leading others to Jesus one of the most magnificent thing you could ever do?  So stop worrying about those other things you want in life.  

You must enjoy the day.  Enjoy every day that is given to you.  They are each a precious gift to do His works! Enjoy the blessings that God has in store for you and use them to bless others.  Trust that God will give us what we are supposed to have, when we are supposed to have it, but that it is his timing that is followed, not our own!

For my friends, I pray for their journey, the journey that God has created for them.  May they learn to live within God's will, wherever it may take them.  Learning to trust and live within His will is arguably one of the hardest things we as humans can ever acomplish.    And may we all learn to wait for THE GOOD THINGS, THE IMPORTANT THINGS, THE PRECIOUS THINGS.  Sometimes waiting and trusting God's will makes the precious things that much sweeter, and makes the story of our journey a testimony and a blessing for others. 

-Caroline