Are you trying to force doors open?
"But in you, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in your hands." Psalm 31:14-15.
Don't grow impatient and try to force doors to open. Don't try to make things happen in your own strength. The answer will come, and it will be right on time. He will bring your dreams to pass. Rest in Him!
Let God do it His way.(Joel Osteen)
Trust His timing and be patient.
Okey, so these past few days I've been
encouraged and comfroted by the messages of Joel Osteen in his book 'Starting Your Best Life Now - A Guide for New Adventures and SDtages on Your Journey.' Basically it's full of simple messages that we often over look in our lives because we're too busy to notice. It's definitely something I would recommend you to read.
Lately the messages I've been reading were about 'Trusting God's Timing', 'Is God like an ATM Machine to You?' and 'Be Patient.'
In
'Trust God's Timing' I learnt that God works even to the second. He doesn't work just in years, months, days, hours or minutes. BUT God works even to the SECOND in our lives!!! This made me realise that there is no such things as coincidence or fate but rather it is Him at work in me. I should not live in fear for He has set out my life even to the second! So guys, don't worry about the time. Focus and be comforted that He works even to the seond. So His time is always perfect! I'm learning aswell that His hand is never too early or too late. But right on time!
In
'Is God like an ATM Machine to You?' I learnt that there is always a time for everything. There is His appointed time to reveal things, to set us free from our bondages and for our dreams to come to pass. Sometimse we misunderstand His timing and become frustrated when things don't happen according to our timeline. And this has been happening to me. I get upset when things don't go accordingly but I'm learning that God is not an ATM machine where I punch in my prayer request and I am immediately given the result/answer. I've learnt here that God is at work even when I can't see it with my natural eyes. It says in
Habakkuk 2:3 "For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry." So in this message I got that God often works the most when we see it and feel it the least. (J. Osteen)In
'Be Patient' I learnt that there is a season for 'it.' God has revealed some things to me and I believe that in His season and time He will make it all come to pass. In this message Osteen used the illustration of David as a young man who had a big dream for his life but He also knew God's timing.
And so I want to be like David and wait patiently until all these promieses and dreams I have recieved from God will come to pass.
The one of knows me more than anyone else.
Last night I had read an email I received from my Pastor about the work experience in Indo. There maybe difficulties. Upon reading it I was immediately overwhelmed with doubt and worry.
I began asking God: 'how could this happen? You had set the path for me, so why is this happening?' I said 'God I have 'jumped' but how come this?'
But amazingly enough
a part of my heart was filled with content, peace, joy and surrenderance. This part of my heart which is undescribable was at peace with what was going on. My mind was in turmoil, insecurity and uncertainty but my heart was peaceful.
It was strange but I knew it was Him. I knew that He was trying to tell me something. So I sat there looking at the email. I read it and re-read it. I asked and asked and asked Him what it was He was trying to tell me.
Instantly I was reminded that I was no longer in control, I needed to wait on Him and have FAITH in Him that all will be well. So I decided last night to re-commit myself to Him.
And before I went to sleep last night (trying as hard as I could to lay at rest and trust Him) I was talking to my mum. I've probably mentioned this before but yes my mum is my "journal." I tell her everything to the utmost detail. And she is awesome! She patiently listens and offers her comfort words.
So last night I was talking to her and ended up in tears.
In tears not because I was said but in tears because even in times to suffering and doubt God is speaking to me and encouraging me to be stronger.I had told my mum that I was fine with whatever will happen in Indo. I told her that these days I've felt something stir within me about how possibly my trip to Indo is not about purely the work experience but rather to minister and be IN church. At first I didn't put much thought to it but last night while I was talking to my mum it had all come back to me. I felt as though there was a 'push' for it.
I told my mum that I felt as though God was using this 'work experience' thing as an "excuse" for me to go to Indo to something with His people. I don't know exactly what it is but I feel it strongly.It reminded me of the journey I have endured. I've realised that the things that have happened in my life is all part of His plan for me. Me being apart from my parents for 2 years - I feel these days that I will be apart from my parents again (not when I'm married but before that). Me doing a year 10 career quiz and getting 'religious leader' as the most suited career for me - I feel these days that it's coming back to me. Me doing journalism and my "love" for it has decreased - I'm not dropping out but things are becoming more clearer to me.
It's becoming clear as to what I want for me and what God wants for me.
All these things I had discussed with my mum last night.
But the one thing that pierced my heart and made me see His way in me was His word for me about going across the lake. You know the Bible story of Jesus calling His disciples to cross to the other side. But they had resisted because they had these excuses. And while I was telling my mum this I was touched by His Spirit and broke down in tears. Tears of revelation poured out.He revealed to me that all this time I had resisted to go to Indo because of my reasons of getting sick, pollution, traffic etc. And He was showing me that I had used these as excuses. Excuses that have been preventing me from doing His will in me. He showed me that I was like the disciples who were whining to Jesus and resisted crossing.
I realised from here on in that no matter what happens, when He calls for me to cross I NEED to cross no matter how dark, how scary, how hard or sick I will get by crossing I KNOW that He had provided for me all this time, I KNOW that He will continue to provide for me now and in the future.
