I really feel like I’ve been stretched this year, but this summer in particular. Not only have I been stretched, but I have been taught. It really amazes me that God doesn’t just use the obvious, major situations to teach me, but He also uses the small, random things—even at work. Though I’m sure God has been teaching me many more things, and stretching me in more areas, the things that have really stood out to me are: trust (as always), patience, rest, perseverance, and joy.
Honestly, it seems like the lesson I am continually learning is to trust. It’s crazy, because I know that God is trustworthy, I know that He is constant and never changes, I know that He has the best plan, and I know that He loves me; but somehow I still manage to find a way to worry. Despite having seen God provide, and just be faithful in general, I find myself questioning His intent and His plan. While it’s not a very fun lesson to be taught (over and over and over), because it involves being in a time of uncertainty, I am so thankful that God still chooses to teach me to trust. I would save so much energy by not worrying, and just trusting Him. This summer, God has really been helping me to trust Him with everything.
For a while, I had become a little pessimistic toward life…okay, maybe more than just a little. I had developed an aversion to hope. As ridiculous as it might sound, I had concluded that it was easier not to hope, and assume that what I didn’t want to happen would happen. It seemed safer not to hope, than to hope and to be disappointed. I really dislike disappointment—it’s miserable; but so is living without hope. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen…” Obviously, God did not design human beings to live a hopeless existence, otherwise He wouldn’t have made faith essential (Hebrews 11:6). However, I think what we do with our hope is key.
God really opened my eyes and let me see that it is okay to hope and to dream; after all, hope is one of the three things that will last forever (1 Corinthians 13:13). He showed me that I needed to place my hopes and dreams in His hands, trusting Him, knowing that regardless of what happens, He is in control and has a plan even better than mine. I love a quote by Fredrick Faber that says, “There are no disappointments to those whose wills are buried in the will of God.” When my will is buried in His, I am free to hope.
I’m sure He’ll still be teaching me to trust until the day I die, which just means I get to spend more time in the Potter’s hand!
Imperfect Pearl 