go through it

it’s been a busy week… a week full of things the need to be accomplished before our mission trip to the Dominican Republic this Saturday. a week where the urgent take over the important… like being still so i can listen to God’s voice.
a week where things break… like the dryer. a week where worries crowd the mind. a week where we need to make tough decisions. You know the kind of week I am talking about… a week where the enemy is throwing things our way to distract and discourage.

but this morning, i did find time to sit and be still, picking up one of my favorite devotionals… My Utmost For His Highest. Today’s reading was perfectly timed…

Oswald Chambers was writing about Abraham’s call by God to sacrifice his son. Now that’s something I can’t wrap my mind around! but here’s an excerpt:

… Abraham did not choose what the sacrifice would be. Always gaurd against self-chosen service for God. Self-sacrifice may be a disease that impairs your service. If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. If the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your martydom, as if to say, “I will only go to there, and no farther.” God chose the test for Abraham, and Abraham neither delayed or protested, but steadily obeyed. If you are  not living in touch with God, it is easy to blame Him or pass judgement on Him. You must go through the trial before you have a right to pronounce a verdict, because by going through the trial you learn to know God better. God is working in us to reach His highest goals until His purpose and our purpose become one.

I don’t know about you but that was convicting… I can’t even imagine how Abraham “neither delayed or protested, but steadily obeyed”. I mean I would not only have delayed and passed judgement, but I would have been tempted to question God’s sanity for sure! Sacrifice my child?! This mother’s heart can’t imagine.

But I also found it encouraging, because when we press through instead of crumble under pressure, our difficulties, struggles, pain, we get to know God better. We learn His character and that He can be trusted without reservation. I am not saying I am there yet, but I am further along than I was 10 years ago… further than I was last month. This reminds me of one of my favorite verses. I am sure I have shared it before.

“The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 145:13

Part of his character is that he loves us and so everything that crosses our path… loss, pain, difficulties… is for our good… an opportunity to trust him and grow in grace. And one day His purposes and mine will be come one. Oh what a day that will be!

encourage each other today