Positioning Ourselves for God’s Moves
10/26/2012
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6-7
I received a phone call from a dear friend today. I could feel her joy as she shared the peaceful resolution of a situation involving her son and grandchild. The two were going to be re-united after being separated a few months ago due to the child’s mother having to move for work-related reasons. The story was riddled with the beauty of God. One of the greatest take-a-ways from the story, however, was my friend’s walk of faith.
From the moment she learned of the move, she went into prayer. She never berated the child’s mother. She didn’t speak against the move. She didn’t even advise against it. Instead, she let the child’s mother know that she was available for her and her grandchild at any time. She also encouraged her son to do the same for that was, she said, “the godly thing to do.”
The move broke my friend’s heart – visibly. The sadness she apparently felt often overshadowed her facial expressions when she spoke of the situation. Still, she gave the matter to God and she gave it to Him with respect in tact. She never questioned the mother’s right to do what she needed to do for the betterment of herself and her child. Most of all, she prayed and asked God to give her the heart she needed for the situation. He gave her one of patience and understanding.
During our conversation this morning, as she shared the plans for the child’s return, I thought of how her faith and trust in the Lord allowed Him to move. My friend was willing to accept the outcome of the situation no matter how it looked. What’s more, she didn’t attach her desires to her prayers. She prayed for God’s best in the situation. She let God be God and by doing so allowed Him to bring a peaceful resolution to the matter. Would she have been just as joyful if the Lord had move in a different way? I am not sure. I do believe, though, that because she released her desires and opened herself to receive God’s heart for the matter, that He would have given her understanding of the outcome. That understanding would have possibly given way to peace.
Are there situations you need to release to the Lord? Are you positioned to receive His best of situations you hold very close to your heart? If not, pause and ask the Lord to help you get to a place where you can. Ask Him for his heart for the matter and then ask Him to show you how to trust Him through the situation. Don’t forget to the thank Him for the experience. I am convinced that if you give God an opportunity to be Who He is, He will give you understanding and even more importantly, He will give you godly peace. What could possibly be more comforting than that?
God’s Heart for Mine
10/16/2012
My husband wanted to take a picture with me last evening. He first tried to take the picture with his camera, but that didn’t work. Either his head or mine was cut out of the shot. We then called one of our sons to take the picture for us. Our 14-year old did a pretty good job considering he was working with poor lighting.
We had fun working so hard to get what turned out to be just an ‘okay’ shot. Still, love was captured. While that in itself was memory worthy, a different thought left its imprint on my heart: after 15 years of marriage, my husband wanted to put our love on film. The thought filled my heart with gratitude.
He and I have come a long way. I’m not sure how much our marriage has changed him. He always seemed to have a better handle than I on the challenges we have faced. As for me, well…how far is the East from the West? That’s how far I feel I am from the person I used to be. I am so grateful to have changed, especially since I didn’t feel I needed to change during any of the situations that changed me. Had I stayed in those places of suspicious thought, accusation, doubt, and insecurity I’m not sure if we would have a love worth capturing. Actually, in the process of securing my marriage, I realized those thoughts and their subsequent actions are not indicative of love. They spring from distrust and insecurity and will destroy a marriage if not effectively dealt with.
When looking at our picture last night, the physical changes I’ve experienced in the last 15 years were evident…especially the additional 15 to 20 pounds of change that I am now wearing =). The most significant changes, however, took place in my heart. Those changes were truly gifts from God. Of course, they didn’t feel that way when I was experiencing them. But, through the difficult times of doubt, uncertainty, disappointment and coming to terms with a reality that differed from my wants and expectations, spending time with God became a source of comfort.
In seeking answers to the feelings of loneliness and uncertainty, He showed me His heart for me as well as for my husband. That latter vision led me to begin praying a prayer that became key to changing my heart. That prayer was/is simply: “Father, in the name of your son, Jesus, give me your heart for my husband. Let me love him as you love him, unconditionally and completely.” Slowly over the years, God began to reveal the roots of attitudes and behaviors my husband displayed that I would often judge as “less than godly” or “problematic”.
First, God told me to stop judging my husband. He then began showing me the reasons behind my husband’s points of view. Through His Holy Spirit, God then led me to a new way of praying. Instead of asking Him to “change” my husband, God told me to pray for the healing of wounds and disappointments my husband suffered that impacted his outlook on life. I was witnessing the residual effects of hurts gone unattended. God diligently let me know that I needed to pray the same – the healing of deep rooted wounds and disappointments – for myself. For I, too, exhibited behavior that was ‘less than godly’ and ‘problematic’.
As I accepted God’s heart, God’s view, and God’s prayers for my husband (and for myself), my disposition toward him changed. I not only had a greater measure of compassion for him, but the possible purpose for God joining us together became clearer. In that transition from ‘accuser’ to ‘intercessor’, my love for my husband grew to a far deeper level than I knew was possible. Along with the titles of wife, friend and mother to his children, I started the journey of becoming one of his ‘great praying defenders’ as well. It’s a title I take seriously and a journey I found to be worth taking. I’m still traveling that path and still learning as I go.
Are you in a difficult place in your marriage? Are there attitudes or behaviors your husband displays that you don’t understand? Does he sometimes get on your last nerve? Instead of judging him or his actions, ask God to show you His heart for him and ask Him for His prayer for him. You may be amazed at the level of compassion you’re capable of feeling and the rekindling of love the Lord will place in your lives.
I continue to be dazed by God’s faithfulness. When I love as He has asked me to; I get a fresh glimpse of the depth, width, height, and comfort of God’s love and it seems boundless. When I love as He loves, what I feel takes my breath away. The feeling is kind of like my husband reaching out at the end of a very busy day to take a picture with me after 15 years of marriage. Even though my physical beauty has changed, there’s something there that draws him. In this instance, I am convinced he’s drawn by the beauty of God’s heart overshadowing mine.
I would show you last night’s picture, but I feel it’s a special token between my husband and me. But, next time, maybe…as I pray there will be one. 🙂
Anointed Thought 