In our last post we were discussing a decision that we must all make.
Will we follow Jesus even when He allows things to happen in our lives that seem to make no sense—that may actually seem to contradict His promises?
Every disciple will come to this crossroads at some point, and I love the encouragement Philip Yancey gives us in his book, Where Is God When It Hurts?
“God wants us to choose to love him freely, even when that choice involves pain, because we are committed to him, not to our own good feelings and rewards. He wants us to cleave to him, as Job did, even when we have every reason to deny him hotly. That, I believe, is the central message of Job. Satan had taunted God with the accusation that humans are not truly free. Was Job being faithful simply because God had allowed him a prosperous life? Job’s fiery trials proved the answer beyond doubt. Job clung to God’s justice when he was the best example in history of God’s apparent injustice. He did not seek the Giver because of his gifts; when all gifts were removed he still sought the Giver.”
Turning away from a “Settle-for” life.
Right here is where I looked deep into the abyss of a life of LESS.
(Giving up all my hopes and dreams did look like a bottomless pit to me!)
But, in the end, I decided that clinging to God was better than repeatedly falling into the ditch of hopeless despair.
So, I stopped crying. I stopped praying and begging God to change things in others.
Instead, I decided to believe God’s promises for me, in spite of how things in my life looked, or what the others in my life, chose for themselves.
My “friends” were gone. My family became critical and distant. Mentors were nowhere to be found.
I felt completely alone in my choice.
But I decided, I had to choose for myself, to accept His will for me, whatever it was, at whatever the cost.
It felt like I was standing on the crumbling edge of my life without any idea of where I would go from there. Nevertheless, I wrote God a blank check, signed my name, and then I waited…
And God has been so faithful to me.
He whispered to my waiting heart…
You have counted some of the cost to follow Me…
Would you change course; would you do things differently if you could?
Before you go forward, these are questions you must honestly ask yourself. (Search your heart.) Think long and hard.
The path you’ve chosen is not an easy one. There are many stones along the way; jagged and cutting. There are briers and thorns. It is a narrow way, too. Many places along this path are wide enough for only two—you and I.
Every destiny has it’s price.
God’s warning words were to carry me through many dark days yet to come.
Actually, I became very grateful for those earlier days of trial, (though it took me some time to get to gratitude.) Those days were the “days of preparation” that I was very thankful for, a little further down the road.
This road to destiny is not necessarily a path of tiptoeing through the posies.
Do not think for a moment, the “enemy of your soul” will let you go forward into your destiny and God’s vision for your life without conflict!
Your destiny may require you to go through things you would not wish on your worst enemy.
Nevertheless, God will never call you into anything that He will not prepare you for. He loves you too much to give you more than you can handle.
Help Is On The Way!
So… if you are going through days of dark trials, know first, that God loves you very much. He has not abandoned you—even if for a season, He is silent.
Everything, you are going through, is preparation for where He is taking you.
The higher the mountain—the harder the climb.
It will all be worth it when we see Him face to face.
When we hear those words every dreamer with a vision longs to hear:
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Matthew 25:23
Women With Destiny 