Just over a week ago, my plans for housing in Georgia fell through. At that point, there were less than two weeks until the move.
I may have had a slight meltdown.
I like things to be neat. Orderly. Planned. IN CONTROL.
So I put down an ultimatum and said, “God, you need to fix this. I am not moving down to Georgia with no place to live.” Irrational? Yes. But that’s where I was at.
God’s response to this silliness? “Peace, be still.”
For a few days I was really wrestling with God, trying to figure out why this was happening the week of Christmas when I wanted my focus to be on family and home, not on housing.
I was less than pleasant to be around those few days and realized I needed to spend some time with God. To ask Him questions, to LISTEN without trying to put the answers I wanted to hear on Him (oy, I have such a hard time with this sometimes), and to just be with Him.
During this quiet time I felt the Lord asking me a question: “Heidi, do you believe that I called you to Georgia?”
…yes.
“Then are you really going to act like housing is a legitimate reason to deny my calling on your life.”
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 your minds in Christ Jesus.”Philippians 4:4-7
Well, you can’t get much clearer than that.
So I decided that morning to be reasonable. Not by standards of this world, but reasonable in my knowledge of God, of His faithfulness and His character. I thanked Him for all He has provided for me. I thanked Him that this situation was in His hands. I thanked Him that as much as I try to maintain control, I am not the one in control. I let my requests be known: that I would still really REALLY like to have housing figured out, but ultimately surrendered it all to Him, knowing that whether it was worked out or not by then, on January 2nd I would be driving down to Gainesville, GA.
Not three hours later I got a voicemail from a friend saying, “Heidi, Jesus really wants to bless you today. Call me.” And what do you know-an even more amazing housing opportunity had presented itself.
Boy does He give good gifts!
All that to say, God is good. He is faithful. And as much as we may like to think it, we are not in control.
Has God placed a calling on your life? Have you given Him ultimatums? Have you told him, “Ok, but only if…”?
What would it look like if you really surrendered it all to Him-all the questions, all the unknowns, all the control-and just followed.
I’m right there with ya. It’s hard. But I believe it’s what Jesus is calling us to. And I know that when we follow, He has amazing blessings in store for us.
“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him.”
