Iris at Sting My Heart does us a great service every week. Every Thursday she hosts "Thankful Thursday" and gives us all an opportunity to highlight the areas of our lives we want to give thanks to God for. This week she has emphasized the topic of "mercy" and I couldn't be more thankful. For you see, God has been working with me and on me and through me to learn a very valuable spiritual lesson in my life. The funny thing was, I thought the lesson was for someone else. Surprise! I discovered instead that I was the student. Sometimes I wonder why God continues trying to work with such a hard-headed, strong-willed, opinionated and stubborn creature such as me. And then I remember that in His word He promised to "bring to completion the good work He began in me".
Here are some of the details. I was praying for someone. And I came up with a really great plan that I told God He should do. I just knew it would accomplish His purpose and it would be a wonderful Hallmark ending to a messy problem. I just KNEW He was going to take my suggestion and maybe even thank me for it. And I instructed several other people to pray for the same thing. Oh, the arrogance of it all! And when it didn't happen the way I had orchastrated I was hurt and disappointed and angry. I asked my husband to pray for me and the bad attitude I was developing. (Another thing to be thankful for - a praying husband!)
Thank God for His mercy! I could still feel His love for me even in the midst of stubborness and rebellion. He just patiently waited for me to understand. And he sent friends to help me along the way. Thank you Angie, you will never know how your encouragement spoke to my weary heart!
So today I have learned a great spiritual truth - God is God and His ways are not my ways - and more importantly MY ways are not HIS ways. I can't say I didn't already know this - but I sure wasn't acting like I knew it. I am so thankful today for God's great mercy towards me. I am still praying for the person and the situation. But my prayer has changed - I am no longer telling God how to handle it - I am simply trusting that He will.
9 comments:
Oh, Robin. You speak such truth to all of us. The only one we can ever change is ourselves! I remember when I learned a great lesson that instead of praying "about" someone I should pray "for" them. Instead of asking God to change them or "make" them or whatever, I was to pray that God would bless them. I was to ask Him to show them His love. It made all the difference in the world, humbled me, and put a love in my heart for that person that I did not have before.
Isn't it something how God's mercy is greater when our pride is at its strongest? But it is only when we are humble that we see it?
That is something to be thankful for indeed!
Ah, God's mercy... how undeserving we are each and every time, how much we NEED it, and how willingly He bestows it. What a loving God we serve!
What a beautiful post. I love it when God works in ways we didn't even imagine.
So often I make my own plan and then ask him to bless it.
It isn't that there is anything wrong with my plan. It's just that it is, well, mine.
I have to make a conscious effort to pray for God to do whatever he wants and I'll call it blessed and jump on board, when he lets me know whatever his plan is.
It's hard to discern what is God's will and my own, sometimes!
Thanks for sharing this insight with us. It's given me a lot to mull over!
Robin, you are such a blessing in MY LIFE! Let me tell you something I heard this morning on the radio..."God does His best work when we've reached our limit"...or something to that effect. He has no limits. Sometimes we get Him confused with us...because we SEE our limitations....He has none.
I love you sweet sister!
Have a wonderful week in the Lord!
Robin, this is so close to home! And it's so much effort when I think I have to figure it all out before I even ask! I constantly remind myself to lay the situation before the Lord and ask that "
THY will be done," not mine!
Hey Robin...been there - done that! I've learned the hard way too, that the best prayers I can pray is for His will to be done, and His kingdom to come, for those I pray for. Glad you sound like you're still smiling!
Robin that is a great post. Sometimes the hardest lessons in life are the best.
Blessings to you today!
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