My Rest!
Updated: Jan 15, 2021
Just before the COVID - 19 broke out in Texas, I was scheduled to visit Michigan to finalize plans for my wedding in July. By the time March 20th, I had to cancel my trip due to the new stay - home order. A few weeks later, we had to consider changing our wedding day. At this point, Cordell and I are discouraged an given up on any plans at this time. As you all know, things are consistently changing without much notice. So, at this point, plans are useless. The only one that truly knows is God. So, by now, I'm starting to become frustrated and impatient about everything.
Until one day during Cordell and I bible study, God began to minister to me concerning my perspective and mindset regarding the stay-home order. Right as I finished reading Isaiah 26:20, my mind beginning to change and started to see the stay - home order from a different perspective. This stay - home order is to protect God's people. I was like, wow! Uh, I've been looking at this from the wrong angle. I began to change my prayer focus. I stop focusing on asking God to give me an answer to the things we couldn't change. However, asking about the things that could be changed, starting with myself. Can you imagine when I began to understand I had nothing to distract me from focusing on myself and my relationship with my Lord? I was filled with great joy and excitement. Because sometimes we can want better or be better, but life is moving so fast we don't know how to take the time to adjust things so we can work on ourselves. Therefore, so we continue praying with no change. Here's the thing, I believe God requires us to do something natural alone with the spiritual. They work together. We can seek God for change. He will give us the strength, endurance, and wisdom to complete the process, but we mostly work on changing the behavior. I can't speak for you, that's just me.
The last month has been a time of transparency before God and with myself. Openness to the point I had to take a look at myself and be truthful about my struggles and weakness. We often, as humans, won't seek the face of God in depth until pressure or challenges arise, which has been my truth in the past. However, this time I had no distraction or excuse. And if I'm truthful I never, really had any excellent reasons other than laziness. You know putting off what you can do today to do tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes. You'll look up months have passed. That's precisely where I was in my life several weeks ago. But God is so gracious and loving He would allow me to get it right. He's so committed to us, that's He would cause all things to work together for our good. That's why I love him so much. These last few months have been a reset for me—a time to renew my vows with my heavenly Father and committed to our covenant promise we have together. This time with Him as restored my hope to dream big again, even while I a maybe a little afraid. I know God has me covered.
Time to spend intentional prayer time with him, as well as diving into He's word. So, I have enjoyed every moment of this quarantine.
In Genesis 50:20, Christian Standard Bible
You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result--the survival of many people.
New King James Version
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
Look guys; God is using this time for our good. In the mist ugliness, God is turning the pit into the palace. My God! God is good all the time; God is good! Amen!
