Saturday, June 9, 2012

God has His Ways

Have you ever received some news that was so hard to hear that you feel as if you were punched in the stomach?

News that leaves you unable to speak?

New that when you hear it the words swirl like a tornado in your head then they move to stir up the dirt in your heart ?

Even though the words are there you just can’t seem to get them out. Not verbally or in writing. That is how I have been over the last 8 months. I learned late in 2011 that my job functions would be moved out of state in early 2013. Although I am thankful that the company has given me such a long notice the time does not quite to worry and concern. One of the hardest things I have struggled with is trying to understand God’s reasoning for allowing this to happen. I have questioned, “What am I to learn for this?” “How is this for my good?” and yes even the why question has entered my mind many times. Please don’t get me wrong I love my Lord and I KNOW that His ways are right/good. I have to admit that threre are many times I do not like his ways. I would rather his ways match my ideas of how things should be done. I want him to work quickly. I want him to work painlessly. I would rather that he work in such a manner that there is no way for me to wonder if it is really him or not.

A few days ago during my quiet time I turned in my bible to 2 Kings 4:1-7. In this passage God has taught me not only more about his ways but also more about his love and provisions.

Elisha Helps a Poor Widow (NLT)
4:1 One day the widow of a member of the group of prophets came to Elisha and cried out, “My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.”
2 “What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.
3 And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors.
4 Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
5 So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.
 6 Soon every container was full to the brim! “Bring me another jar,” she said to one of her sons. “There aren’t any more!” he told her. And then the olive oil stopped flowing.
7 When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, “Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over.”

The four things I learned was:
  1. My desperation is not directly due to a lack of faith.
  2. God will provide for me out of what I already have.
  3. God will do all that I can’t
  4. God will fill only what I offer.

I plan to share more on each of these points in the days to come. But in the mean time here are a few questions for you to ponder.
What has God taught you in your time of desperation? Do you get angry with God in times of desperation?

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