Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Fish Guts in the Belly of the Whale? Or a Nice view Ocean Side?

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11
 


Most of you who know me locally, know that I've been seeking a new job. I love the current one, however if I don't get more hours or move into a full time position I'm not sure how much longer I can stay there. Money is tight and a more stable income on my part would go along way towards helping our situation. So I've been looking.  I've got a few applications in here and there and a few of them look promising but my prayer has been that God would put me where He want's me. Today I recieved another answer. The letter in the mailbox was a resounding NO! The job I wanted...well I wasn't the chosen applicant.

My first reaction was very human...and very common in the face of rejection. I was disappointed. Left to it's own devices the disappointment I felt could turn very quickly to anger and lead into bitterness and discouragement. I was hoping for the job, I wanted it, I had started thinking about what it would be like when I had it......there's a lot of ME in those statements. Had I recieved the letter without prayer in the waiting time....I would have been angry just as Jonah was angry when God didn't do what he expected.

"But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry........But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah 4: 1,4

"Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil."  Psalm 37:8
 

I was reminded very quickly that my prayer wasn't for the job itself, but for God to put me where I was supposed to be. Yes, I could be mad about it, but where would that get  me? I would lose a friend and maybe even an opportunity later on. I realized it's just God's way of saying "Not that one, I have another plan for you."



Jeremiah 29:11 is honestly one of my favorite verses. On days like today it lifts me up to know that God is ready and waiting to guide my steps if I will seek Him. His plans are good. An answer of No from anyone, and the feeling of rejection regardless of the reason is upsetting, but it's not the end.

 “The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever” Isaiah 32:17

I can have peace because I am confident that God will provide for our needs. He has done so over and over again. There isn't any need to put a question mark there. I trust that God can and will supply.

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 4:19


So...this we know. God has a plan, His plans are Good, and God will provide. Just remember that His plan isn't always the one we think it should be. We may have to give up on a dream, let go of a relationship, swallow our pride, or sometimes even change directions altogether. God's way's are higher than ours. If we aren't willing to let go of our plans and listen for His, we'll never know the JOY and PEACE that He want's us to walk in.  The Bible doesn't say it will be easy...or that we will always agree with where God is leading us. Jonah spent time smelling some nasty fish guts because of his disobedience and even afterward he never really agreed with or understood what God wanted to do through him...I think I'd rather follow God's direction and maybe get to hang out on the beach a bit. If ya know what I mean. =)




 

2 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! Our stories are so similar. As you know I've said this is one of my favorite verses. I kept seeing this verse in random places when I was at a particularly hard place in life. I made it my backdrop on my phone so that I'd see it multiple times a day. I began to pray for God to show me His plan for me and I sat back and tried to follow His will and be patient.. Within months, I'd found a man that I truly feel God made for me.. a couple months after that I said "God, if it's in your plan for me to stop working 2-3 jobs, make it clear to me".. suddenly I stumbled upon a job, and with the encouragement of my boyfriend I applied.. It was a long month of waiting but I finally got the call that I'd got the job.. which meant I finally could work 1 job, and only work M-F.... It also brought me back to teaching, which I had fleshly decided wasn't for me.. but apparently God wants me to teach! and I couldn't be happier!

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    1. Ali, it always seems to pop up for me too. As soon as I logged in to facebook today, there it was Jeremiah 29:11...(it was already running through my head.) I'm so happy to hear that you are doing well too. I remember when you were working so many jobs. What a blessing to be led back to teaching and to find a single job that you enjoy!

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