Lay It Down

Last week, my world was momentarily rocked...and not in a good way.

God has been making some promises to me this year. One particular seed of promise had been cultivated, nurtured, and carefully tended for months. I believe it was on the threshold of blooming. I thought I did everything perfectly and prayerfully. Then it got ripped up by the roots, or at least mowed over to wait for a new season.

This would have thrown the old Amy into a frantic flurry of replacement. I am so thankful that I am a new creation. I am learning to think with the mind of God, and learning to hear what He wants me to hear in every situation. Yes, I experienced shock...embarrassment...even a good amount of anger, but none of that was directed towards God.

First of all, He is such a loving God. About five hours before my promise was "postponed", I read a passage from an author who went through something very similar. He was promised something. He was confident the promise was from God, and he had no doubt that it would happen. Then it didn't happen...at least not in the way the author expected. God did deliver on His promise, of course, but He delivered it a year later.

That passage really sunk in. There have been some very clear times in my life that I've seen God work this way. It happens when I try to help God out...in other (more realistic) words, when my desire to be in control attempts to override God's plan for my life. So I knew the author's initial confusion. The self-doubt that arises ("Did I misinterpret or manipulate that promise? Did I really hear God's voice?"). The disappointment. It was the first time I'd seen someone else describe it so clearly, and it was a reminder that God's promises are real. They're just not always on our terms.

What happened five hours later was painful, but I had already been counseled by God. He had prepared me to see the situation from the very beginning through His lens, not mine. What a difference His perspective makes! Rather than experiencing feelings of rejection, I feel chosen by Him. He will no longer let me go at the wrong time, to the wrong place, or with the wrong person! Rather than feeling alone, I feel protected and surrounded by His love. He cared enough about my future to protect me, even from myself!

Phillippians 1:6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

A couple days later I heard a teaching on Abraham and Isaac. Isaac is the ultimate, extreme example of God's promises being delivered in His own perfect timing ...which rarely aligns with ours. Genesis 22 is the ultimate, extreme example of God's desire to be first in our lives. God's demand for Abraham to sacrifice his son, his seed of promise, bothered me a lot until recently. I see now that Abraham allowed Isaac to become his hope, his world, his future. He allowed God's promise to creep into the realm that belongs to God alone. Abraham got the point. He saw he needed to lay down the promise, to give it back to God. He also had full faith that no matter what happened on the altar, Isaac would return home with him that day. Abraham knew God's voice. Isaac was His promise.

I really think it's awesome the way God pulls things together for us to teach us and help us grow when we are listening. I see where I have given His promises more affection, attention, and priority than they deserve. I've allowed them to creep into the places of my heart that He calls His home. I may have even used His promise to suit my own purposes, without letting Him give what He has in store for me at the intended time. I believe God wants more time with me; can you imagine a higher compliment?? I am thankful for another opportunity to see His love in action.

While I was reeling from this stupid situation last week, I was thanking God for setting my heart foremost on Him. I told Him (as if He didn't know) how badly it hurt, and asked how long the pain had to last. He replied immediately, "As long as you want it to." Anger, shock, hurt pride, fear, disappointment, etc. will hold on to us as long as we hold on to them. It's our choice!

Have you ever tried to make something happen that you knew wasn't meant to be? Is anything other than God consuming your thoughts? That is modern day idolatry. God will not coexist with other idols. Have you ever seen Him rip something out of your garden because you have placed it too highly in your heart? Learn to see that as a gift of love! Learn to lay your idols down. Or better yet, learn not to make idols out of His promises.
2 Peter 1:4 "...He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature..."
His promises are intended to draw us closer to Him, not distract us from Him.