"For I know the plans I have for you, exclaims the Lord, plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. And if you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you, says the Lord. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land."
-Jeremiah 29: 11-14
"For I know the plans I have for you.....", great, comforting words? At least, comforting for the people who believe that this God will do something for them. The more I think about it, the more humans trick themselves into thinking that he isn't there for them. I know that I've thought those very words before. "God, yea, you're there, but what are you doing to me!?" "What do you have for life?" "What have I done to deserve this?" Notice the quotations? I have stated every one of those sentences, including numerous more. I use to think that God was great and comforting when he wanted to be, but he was also that same god, trying to burn off any feelers we had left with his mighty magnifying glass. Comforting? Nope. Life for me was normal. I told people that I believed in God and I lived every day trying to stay "holy." However, all that was for men, showing PEOPLE I was "righteous." Everyday was an ongoing struggle to fit what society told me to do and look like, making myself skinny as a pole on a 900 calorie diet running about 3 miles a day, with 500 sit-ups and 300 windmills.I wanted comfort and still through all the dieting and pretending, I was not who I wanted. Inside, I didn't want to follow the plans he had for me. Me praying for something, something to maybe bring him back into my life, for real. All that was two years ago, before I met my two best friends.
Richard was god's gift to me and the relief I prayed for. I was beautiful, caring, funny, and God's child to him. I was Leah and nothing else. I started to slowly become comfortable with myself and now I don't care what people think of me. I have a God who loves me and who I can call my amazing best friend. How did I find him? Belief. You know, I thought that there was a god...but when I thought about heaven and hell, I couldn't fathom what it was or if I would go there. It and God himself was hard to grasp. Through faith and the word, I was uplifted, understanding that God is who he is, for us. He made us to fulfill his almighty glory, his wonder, and his grace. It takes me back to two stories, one being the story of the enslaved Hebrews of Egypt. God wanted his people free and years went on... and God had not let be it be so. Some of the Hebrews became discouraged, until Moses came. Sounds like this generation. We get so frustrated when God does not give us our wants NOW. But who says what we want is what we actually want? Catch that? Who says what we want, is really what we want? God has greater plans than we have for ourselves...we just have to be open to them. I know that it gets hard, and that we sometimes don't believe that he has greater plans for us. Patience and Obedience, and we can have the best of the best, because God made it so. We just have to understand that.. I know I have. Now I am here, still struggling and still trying to listen to him. It's hard, but the wait....the wait is so worth it. We just have to be open for love. And we will receive love like we have never experienced. The Hebrews made it to their promised land through faith but...still......they fought and disregarded God's law.... Sounds like us. We got the promise of opportunities through Jesus, but we fight and disregard, falling into sin. It's hard to resist temptation and hard not to listen to the plans of God.. but it is worth the wait and the regard. Remember life is prized, so look to God and the JOY(different from happiness and for another lesson) will last. I am reading a book by Elisabeth Elliot called "Passion and Purity" and it helps me understand the plans that God has for me. (When I get more into it, I will discuss later.) The more I read it, the more it helps me. God has plans for you, no matter, you just have to be willing to "stay open to the father. " Now what about me? I am living for God and not for men. I am living for a great God who is blessing me everyday. Let him work in you. It just takes time.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for the ability to be able to pray to you for help and for you! You have our lives planned for us. We just have to be willing to listen and live through you. Help us to be patient because you will not always answer straight away. We want to get the wonder of you! Amen.
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