God's Will & Timing

This morning my mind is on a young couple dealing with heart ache, a servant of Christ in the hospital, lots men looking for work, several friends fighting off cancer, and a young person sidelined with a knee injury. I am praying for them and asking God to give them peace, hope, and confidence in this difficult season.

When it comes to unplanned unwanted circumstances, I believe the best and right thing to do is to look for God. He is there. Nothing surprises to Him.

It is one thing when we sin or someone's sin causes consequences on our lives. That happens and we have to deal with the pain and difficulty of the cause and effect impact of sin.

When it is clear that the circumstance we are in is bigger than the mere actions of humanity or even in the give and take of human frailty, seeking God's face is so very important. God works all things for good for those that love Him that have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28) and God knows the plans He has for His people - plans to give hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). Based on these facts the best thing any of us can do during dark days is...

1. Pray and ask God to allow you to join Him in what He is doing.
2. Trust that God has gone before you and is at work to guide you according to His perfect will.
3. Live on mission in the moment. You may not be able to comprehend what God is up to. If that is the case, simply living on mission and sharing and showing the love of Christ according to the Gospel will enable you to serve God's purpose even when you don't know what it is.
4. Get other brothers and sisters to pray for you and encourage you. Let them know your hurt, fear, anger, or confusion and allow them to seek God's face with you. Sometimes we need God's Word delivered to us through His body of believers to really perceive the truth.

God has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We are His adopted children that we can cry out to (Romans 8:14-17). He understands what we are going through having been through a human existence on this sinful rock (Hebrews 4:15-16). We can know God is with us, at work, and in control.