everything in HIS time

It blows my mind that it has been over a month since my life took an unexpected 180. The fact that I have not shared my life changing for the better event with you further blows my mind. {When I get around to explaining the actual turn of events, you may understand why I had not one ounce of energy left to blog the details or to blog anything else for that matter… I’ve been negligent around here, I know.} But back to my 180… I prayed for this, waited for this, searched for this opportunity. When I was finally worn down and too tired to do more than what was necessary to go on, stopped the search, settled for less - opportunity knocked on my door.

More accurately, God, Who was always in control of the situation, Who had always held the situation in His hands and His hands only, reminded me of a few very important verses that I need tattooed on my forehead for future reference:

#1 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

#2  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5

#3 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

 

{During my most hectic/chaotic/crazy moments – which are 99.9% of the time at work – I repeat this phrase to myself over and over and BREATHE deeply. 

YES, I freely admit, I am crazy.}

 

 

{WARNING: off-road tangent ahead.}

 

 

For just a moment - Can you imagine the impact these verses could make in our lives if we put them to use every moment of our day?? 

and yet… These are not the verses that give the key steps in learning how to become a  new Christian. They do not speak of the beautiful life our Savior led on this earth or the death He suffered for our sins. They do not include any of the 10 commandments, any parables, any witnessed miracles, or the mention of a single apostle.

These verses encompass none of what we deem important from the bible. So really, should they be allowed to impact our lives as much as verses covering these other very pertinent topics?

If you’re anything like me, you might start to process that question and formulate some of the possible answers. As important as it is to know of our Christ’s life and sacrifice, or the eternal life that awaits us through baptism and walking the Christian way, or to know the Lord’s prayer - the verses that contain these messages do not stand alone.

Together, with the other 7,959 verses in the good book, we are taught everything God deemed necessary for our Christian life. I would dare to say that not one verse is “better” than another and that He meant for all of the bible to be tattooed on our foreheads hearts. {Yeah, I threw in the thought that God might be a fan of tattoos… in the proverbial sense.}

All that to say, if you previously thought the above three verses were nice words to live by, or thought of them as another quote that would be great to keep in your wallet or on a flashcard like I did in my college dorm room – you’re right. BUT, if that assumption comes with the side thought that they are not words that must be lived by, never thought that we are actually commanded to live by these words, that God actually meant it more about the need to be baptized, not killing your neighbor(!)… and all those other things we KNOW are very black and white to a Christian – you’re wrong.

HE authorized this book and HE meant every word of it. {Duh, right?} He doesn’t want us to worry, to feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, to rack our human brains for understanding we will never grasp or to strut around thinking we have it all figured out and if God would just cooperate, we could have the life we planned in our dreams. On the contrary, time and time again I’ve rejoiced that God’s plans were not my own, because his were so much better than I had ever imagined for myself! I also had to kick myself for the worry, lost sleep, and my many bad moods I put others around me through because I was trying to figure it all out and handle it on my own. {Yeah, right!}

***Remember the ‘our ways are not His ways’ thing… yeah, understatement of the year New Testament ;)

If we take these verses as just “nice filler verses”, we undermine the words of the LORD and His purpose for including each carefully chosen passage of the bible. We must take these 3 verses {and all the others…} to heart. Know they are commanded of us, begin to “let go and let GOD” then start to feel the peace that only comes through Him. {He COMMANDED us to not worry about tomorrow!! Can’t argue with that, folks!}

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Sorry if that all seemed a bit too “soap boxy”… personally, I needed that more than anyone and was afraid that if I didn’t type the thoughts, I’d lose the lesson. Feel free to direct me back to my own words whenever I veer off course again and start whining about my worries and the plans that didn’t go accordingly =)

Oh yeah… that life changing event of mine? I’ll have to tell ya later. I got a little too caught up in my runaway train of thought for today. And ya know… it’s already been a month, what’s a couple more days gonna hurt anyone?