A One Sided Conversation!

I said something rather profound to my husband the other day, at least I thought it was profound. Maybe it’s not. Maybe it is only profound to me. Well, regardless of its status as profound or not, I’m gonna share it. Cause I can. Cause it’s my blog and that is what I do, share.

Here it is:

Just because God knows the outcome, the end result, doesn’t mean we don’t have to go through all the junk to get us to the desired result/place.

Now, I know you are confused but, hear me out. Have you ever had this conversation with God?

Me: Lord, you know I am going to be faithful. You already know what is going to happen.

Lord: Yep

Me: Then why do I have to go through all this junk to get there? I mean, you already know what I am going to do, how I am going to act, what I am going to say…and you know that I am going to do your will. So, I still have to go through all this junk?

Lord: Yep

Me: But…WHY? (Or rather) WWWWHHHHHHYYYYYY?

(That was a pitiful whine if you weren’t able to decipher all the drawn out consonants)

Lord: Because

Me: But Lord, it seems like such a waste of time. Can’t you wave your hand or speak or something and just change me?

Lord: I can, but I won’t.

Me: Ugh!

Am I really the only one who pleas, bargains and down right begs God to just pick me up and lift me over the hard stuff?

It was after one of these one sided conversations with God that reality dawned. I’ll say it again because we know this is profound! Just because God knows the outcome, doesn’t mean we don’t have to go through it.

I still have to go through the trials. I still have to cry the tears. I still have to wade through the mud that is trying to pull me down. I still have to climb that mountain. I still have to swim up river! It is what makes me into who I am supposed to be. God’s “knowing” doesn’t change me. It is the journey that makes way for the Holy Spirit to work on my heart.

Romans 2:2-5 tells us this: Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Yes, I would rather He pick me up out of my mess. According to the Word, that is not going to happen, at least not until the appointed time.

So, I am going to rejoice in my sufferings. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, I am obtaining endurance. I also know that my character is becoming more and more like Christ’s. Finally, I have hope. I have hope that eventually I am going to reach the other side. I am going to see the sun rise over a beautiful cloudless sky, lighting up my world and filling my soul with joy. And the promise of God’s love, poured into my heart, will be worth everything, every pain, every trial and every tear that I have endured for righteousness sake.

Lord, be my strength. In times of trouble, sustain me. When joy is naught but a hapless dream, be my joy. For in You I am fulfilled.