This Was Not What I Had In Mind

Isaiah 55:8 ⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
 neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.(ESV)

Does it bother you when your plans get interrupted? I’m not talking delayed. I’m talking, postponed, changed or even cancelled, over and over and over again, due to circumstances totally beyond your control. Let me tell you it bugs me big-time! Ya see, I’m a planner. Ask my family or anyone who has known me for any length of time. I like to have everything planned almost down to the minute. The things I’m talking about though, I think would bother anyone. Let me just tell you what I mean.

Even though I’m not working right now, I have a schedule I keep to each week. I volunteer, attend a Bible study, meet some friends for sip ‘n sister time (coffee and fellowship) and I go to counseling. All of these things help keep me grounded and in touch with good Christian influences. They are weekly events that I try not to miss, but if I get sick or need to go out of town, I have the freedom to do so. As I have mentioned, I did get sick about 2 weeks ago, unfortunately I am still fighting whatever this is. The doctor is running tests and we are waiting on the results. Due to this illness, I haven’t been able to do my volunteer work in 2 weeks. I am really missing it. One week I missed Bible study. I miss that too. Well, this week I was supposed to go out of town with my mom and sister, but I am not well enough to do that. As you can see all of my plans have been totally messed up!!! I am not happy about it either.

There have been a few times over the past 2-2 ½ weeks that I have gotten frustrated and dare I say, even angry, that the things I wanted to do were NOT happening! Well, God began reminding me of the verse I placed at the beginning of this…that my ways are not His ways…So what IS He saying to me?

Right now, I believe He is telling me to rest in Him, that my body is physically weary, and He literally wants me to rest. While I physically rest, He wants me to lean on Him for ALL my strength. He will renew my strength in His time and I will be better and stronger if I will just trust Him.

Mark 6:30-32 ³⁰The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. ³¹ Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

 ³²So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.(NIV)

This was just before they fed the five thousand. Jesus knew that the apostles were tired and hungry. He knew they needed to rest.

Isaiah 40:31 ³¹But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Once I rest and I WAIT on God THEN, He can renew my strength! So do you need to rest too? If not now, think about it the next time your plans don’t work out the way you think they ought to.

Living in Grace,

Angie

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