Briana Noel: May 2010

Sometimes, God sees fit to place things in our lives which we cannot explain. We will never quite understand why He brings friendships to us at a time when our life seems fully devoted and surrendered to Him. These may, overtime, become a distraction for our relationship with God and He knows it, so, He orchestrates things in a way as to where He is the center and things begin to work our perfectly. It may even work out so perfectly as to where we look at the situation through our eyes only and forget God is mighty and powerful to arrange what may seem impossible. This mind set effects us because we look at our situations from only our worldly standpoint and think our hopes and dreams for the future are hopeless due to one minor difference. We forget too, who God is and how He loves to bless our lives in ways which we would never expect or even deserve. This sin and doubt eventually builds up so much that God has to do what He can to pull us out. This is usually where He sees fit to jazz up our lives a bit. :0 Too many times, God sees fit to do this through drama in order to bring Him back to the center and remind us that He's in control. Yes, of course it is painful, it always is. However, once we realize we can get through it with God, we notice our fights, jealousy, and intentions are getting us nowhere. In turn, they eventually begin to ruin a beautiful blessing God saw fit to give us. After a handful of stressful days and sleepless nights, we come to a conclusion that we've been causing more unnecessary drama and need to trust each others words without being so quick to judge and assume things. In this way, God shows us to forgive and forget, but not forget that this is His blessing to us and to trust Him through all the situations. When this first lesson is finally learned, one season of drama passes, God sees fit to bring the friendship back. Things go great and everything is perfect once again. The friendship bond is strong, filled with fun and laughter...but of course, honoring and glorifying God, remembering He is the center of this amazing gift. But unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world anymore, and no matter how good things can seems to be going, they always get hard again, and God sees fit to add drama again to strengthen and teach us. Once again, pain is caused, and even sometimes unintentionally. We try to act wise in our own eyes, and it may work for awhile. It's almost like we cover up feelings and emotions by hiding them under a bandage. Yes, it makes things better for awhile, but too soon, God sees fit to remove that bandage, letting out the thoughts which were rushing through us. By that time however, it is too late and people change and move on...and God knew this would happen all along. To some, this may be a huge lesson and a way for God to strengthen us, but for other people though, it is simply more drama. Fights and arguments begin to run nonstop, painful words and actions are said and done to each other, and very, very deep feelings of hurt and regret are causing people to cry like never before. Through it all though, God doesn't leave us. He sees fit to cause this, but not just to leave us hanging there in pain. His promise to "finish what He began" and "work everything out for the good for those who love Him" keep us striving to seek Him through patience and endurance. God sees fit to challenge us in this situation in order to strengthen us and draw us closer to Him. Finally, after months of God's aching heart watching us in this drama filled hurt and pain, He sees fit to put an end to it and begins to restore the beauty He once made. Yes, of course things never turn out how they were, but restoration alone is enough to show God is All Mighty and ultimately in control. He makes things what He wants them to be. Since we are all human, many of us have a hard time accepting God's timing and what He's orchestrating in our lives, we forget that "God makes everything beautiful in its time" and that "there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man's trouble is heavy upon him." We often fight to have things go our way, upset at how they are turning out and dwelling on the past. We forget though, that we shouldn't say "why is it that the former days were better than these?" We need to realize that this is "not of wisdom" to be asking this, because in a way, it's almost like challenging God and assuming our position is higher than His and that we should be in control to make things how they once were. This is all wrong because we end up living in the past and don't always realize the gifts God saw fit to bless us with in that day. Sometimes too, for reasons we cannot explain just as God saw fit to give us friendships, He too sees fit to begin to take them away. Of course this is an extremely hard fact to accept, and so many times be look back at situations that didn't work out how we had truly hoped or planned and we get confused. Because of all this, we constantly ask ourselves "what was the purpose of God putting them in my life?" This question is often left unanswered and as a result, we see ourselves unsatisfied. Yea, sure you guys both played an important role in one another's life, but maybe it wasn't for the purpose of them in your life as much as it was the purpose of you in their life. The biggest challenge here in this though, is continuing to show love to them. Real, true, Biblical love. Agape love, self sacrificing. Putting your friend's desires and dreams before that of your own. Realizing that you may have to do something you don't want to or watch them through a situation you'd rather not because it's what they want and you realize you cannot be selfish and want to fulfill only your own desires. It's loving them so much that you begin to want what it is they want for themselves because it may be best for them and you love them enough to let go and let them move forward. In this way, you have lived out true love; love like that from Christ with His people. This is the kind of love God saw fit for us. The kind of love we are suppose to have for one another, the kind of love that is suppose to surround our friendships....whether or not we feel like self sacrificing, that is no excuse. This is what our First Love demands. When people realize this, it can often lead to the point of total surrender. We come to the realization that not everything in life is about us and to make us happy. We need to be looking out and caring for others just as we do ourselves, in fact, more than ourselves. In this way, when we become wholly surrendered to God and His plan, although we may never understand it and be disappointed for some time...it pleases Him. It reminds us that God is greater than us, that He is in Heaven while we are down here on earth, that once He is involved and the center, He is always involved, even if it means in the tough times. And too, just think, when we reach this point of total surrender again, who knows? God may, in time, see fit to bless us with another friendship once again.... "Consider the work of God, for who is able to straighten what He has bent? In the day of prosperity be happy, but in the day of adversity consider-God has made the one as well as the other so that man will not discover anything that will be after him." ~Ecclesiastes 7:13-14

Friday, May 28, 2010

What God Sees Fit

Sunday, May 9, 2010

To Be or Not to Be?