Through the bumpy

Have you noticed that when God asks you to do something, He doesn't do it like you would do it?  He doesn't make it easy and everything doesn't happen in a timely orderly fashion.  God doesn't ask us to do something when our calendar is completely blank.  He asks us when we're already busy and pressed for time.  He doesn't ask us to do things within our comfort zone.  He stretches us, asking us to go beyond that.  And He doesn't ask us to partner with our best friends for ministry.  He asks us to work with difficult people.

God does things like ask Noah to build an ark when it had never rained before.  He waited until Sarah is ninety years old to bless her with baby Isaac then  asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice.  He allowed Joseph's brothers to sell him into slavery.  And He asked a man with a fear of public speaking  (Moses) to lead the Israelites.  God's ways are not our ways.

Isaiah 55:9
As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

God sees the big picture when we don't and He has a plan.  He wants us to trust Him and then obey Him.  Easier said than done!  Especially if you are a bit type A and like being in control.  The lesson on my mind most this last year is that God is sovereign.  He is in complete control and everything that happens to us was allowed by Him.  Every single difficult thing we go through has been allowed by God and He has a reason for it.  There's a sense of peace that comes when we remember this.  

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

God created people to know, love, and glorify Him.  When He asks things of us, He wants the glory for it.  If we're involved in ministry and it's easy, God wouldn't get the credit, we would.  If we don't ever have to pray for wisdom or ask for His help, it would be all about us.  How limiting that would be!  We serve a big God and when it's about Him (not us) it's going to be soo much better.  That doesn't mean it'll go smoothly or be easy but it's going to be better.  I used to pray that things would go smoothly.  That our day would go smoothly or whatever I was working on would go smoothly, but when things are smooth we don't get to see God in action.  I want to see God in action!  We get to see how God provides when things are bumpy.  Not that we need to pray for bumpy because life will just be that way, but instead my prayers now ask for wisdom through the bumpy.  Or ask for help through the bumpy.  Or I pray that the things I do and say would be pleasing to Him (through the bumpy).

Ephesians 3:20-21
 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,  to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.