As I think about God's gifts and blessings for us, I've been struck lately with the packaging in which these 'gifts' arrive.
I've been praying for the last couple of years that God would grow my trust and faith in Him. I want to live every moment free of worry and confident in who God is and living a life led by the Holy Spirit.
So what does He do? He gives me opportunity to trust Him. Are these gifts easy? NO. But they are good. There are many situations in my life right now that just don't make sense. I don't see how it can or will be resolved apart from supernatural intervention. And that is where I have the opportunity to trust God.
When I was having a particularly hard time giving up control over circumstances in my life last year, I received this video. It was so thought provoking and gave me a better handle on what it means practically to trust God. My thoughts return to the illustration again and again...
both the joyful, pleasant, effortless, but oftentimes unassuming gifts and the challenging one's. They are all good. They are all from Him.
176. Opportunities to trust God. He knows I need them...
177. Bible study. It grows my faith to see how faithful, patient and sovereign God is over and over again. He sees the big picture that I can't.
178. Jonah - and reminders to face what I've been called to do!
179. Family. I can't hide or pretend to be someone I'm not and yet they still love me! :)
180. bird-watching boys.
181. holding a newborn little boy.
182. an evening conversation with this little boy's mother.
183. mud covered toddler toes.
184. excitement spilling out of little boys.
185. unexpected mornings home.
186. Holy Spirit insight into how to approach a child training situation.
187. catching sight of a baby hummingbird fluttering around my porch.
188. the sound of my 23 month old son running through the house calling for me.
189. my 5 year old negotiating being allowed to do math on a Saturday.
190. Creative, non-sensical costumes.
191. Older, wiser women in my life.
192. Songs like, Full Attention, that remind me to abide close to Jesus. (audio here)
193. getting to stroke a soft baby nephew head!
194. boyish giggles as they try taking a shower for the first time!
195. creek explorations
Still too cold in TN to head to the creek - but we are already looking forward to it! great post!
ReplyDeleteYou can come back and brag in August when it is 115 here and we don't want to even walk to get our mail for fear of burning... :)
ReplyDeletemy boys already think it's warm enough *it's been in the 80's* but that creek water is spring fed and cold!
ReplyDelete