“For God gave us not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline.”
1 Timothy 1:7 ASV
Over Christmas, I was engulfed in unexpected quality time with my present past—family members with whom I don’t get to spend enough time and with whom I definitely don’t get to speak on the level I did this holiday. It was exactly what I needed.
One such interaction was with family, not blood—but family, indeed, who I haven’t seen in years. We were talking about…life…and how uncertain I am these days. Before this she had been speaking on how I didn’t have to necessarily overwhelm myself trying to get these experiences to set myself up for future endeavors, that God is always preparing you for exactly what He has for you, and He will use your experiences to shape you. I said something about how I’ve been praying for direction and she said something profound—at least for me. It was something to the effect of, “I think we pray wrong sometimes. We’re praying waiting for some grand sign on where to move next. God gave us free will. He’s waiting on us to move.” And here I was having something of an epiphany, because she was definitely hitting on a struggle of mine, and I said, “And trust that He’s going to be there and work it out.”
Y’all, since this conversation, some things that I was really confused about really clarified themselves for me. It was exactly what she was sent to tell me.
Sometimes, we’re sitting back, waiting. And God has completely prepared us to DECIDE the next step. And He’s waiting on us to step out on faith, ask for what we want and believe that He will do more than we could imagine for ourselves.
“Ye did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that ye should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, He may give it you.”
John 15:16, ASV
I kept struggling with whether it was in His purpose. But my purpose is to glorify Him with my gifts, and there are so many different ways I can do that. Sometimes, what He wants is my show of faith; my ability to ask for what I want in accordance with that will, and trust that He can and will support me in it. I believe it’s yours too. Nothing more, nothing less. So much peace in that.
“And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 ASV
Thank you. Such an inspiration.
Thank you so much for this comment!
Amen! “God is preparing you for exactly what He has for you.” I believe it, and I receive it. (And I appreciate the disclaimer at the top: believe what you believe and speak your truth. Those who don’t believe as you do can read other material. Amen!)
I appreciate your support more than you know!