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I'm beginning every Monday morning of 2016 with words from a "great mind"- encouraging quotes from believers who have finished the course before us, running well to the end. My prayer is that they will give both you and me the boost we need to start our week both hopeful and fixed on Jesus.
"Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good. As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled. Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter." Elisabeth Elliot, Keep A Quiet Heart
How easy it is to resist God's Providences in our lives. The kids get a stomach bug, and our hearts start grumbling and complaining about cleaning nasty messes and all the extra laundry and how our houses are so much filthier.
I'm woken several times in the night by little ones, and now it seems very unjust that I have to get up when the alarm goes off, and the requirements placed upon me don't lighten up even though I didn't get nearly enough sleep. I forget that God knows exactly what I need.
Why can't we just make more money, or have more obedient children, or stop having all these health issues? Why do so many little irritations pop up and vex us on a given day? Why can't things just go my way?
All of these little rebellions to circumstances are actually assaults on the goodness of God.
Can we trust Him in the little irritations? Will we walk in joyful obedience to His will, even when His will is the stomach bug? Can we rejoice in His perfect plan when our kids aren't sleeping, bad news comes back from the doctor, or the bills are piling so high and our financial situation seems hopeless?
According to EE, as we graciously accept our circumstances, other options are cancelled. Yes, it would have been nice if the kids hadn't gotten that nasty bug- but now they have, so the sooner I accept and get on with it, the better. Now instead of moping I can just do the next thing in front of me and be faithful in the cleaning and the soothing and the laundry.
A life of quiet contentment no matter the circumstances is far happier than a life of grumbling and resisting.
In the midst of writing this post I took a break to feed the kids breakfast. My son is a wild child, who needs to move- he literally spends the majority of each day bouncing up and down. You think I'm exaggerating, but this actual bouncing is commented on by most people who spend any time around him. As you can imagine, sitting still {especially at mealtimes} is tough for him.
He strongly dislikes his booster seat, so I allowed him to sit in one of the "grown up" chairs. Of course five minutes later he was bouncing, fell right off the chair and bumped his chin. At which point I determined he needed to be buckled into his booster for the rest of the meal. This did not make him happy.
As he screamed and resisted my will {which was for his good!}, I couldn't help but see that this is exactly what we do when God's will for us isn't to our liking. Childishness rants against the kind Providences of God when they are painful or uncomfortable. But the obedient, who respond with gratitude and humility, will be blessed.
It's the start of a brand new week. This week many new circumstances are going to arise- some to our liking, and some not. Let's purpose to embrace each one with a quiet heart- trusting in the goodness of the God who ordained them. And remember, "The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances" {Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart}.
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