Deferring to God’s Will Be Done -- Not Mine

All nestled in at my home won't stop several of my beloved friends to come over to meet together tonight. We will come together as sisters in Christ and I'm quite assured of the fact -- "Where two or three are gathered together in His name -- He is in the midst of us!" (Matthew 18:20). So, no fear here!

Prior to the CVID19 "change of life", I was experiencing my own life change. I was thinking that God had me in His sovereign test tube. Usually in a sweet flow of His mercy and grace, my "apple-cart" got upset. I found yielding to His will -- not mine be done -- is the best choice. I had two opportunities to BE Jesus. One, with a restaurant manager which didn't fare too well and an "encounter" with a store manager that was much better.

I was picking up my new cell phone that had been on order (the unlocked version took several days to come in). The sales rep assured me that if I would go ahead and pay for it, I could trade in my old phone for $125 when it arrives. But, oh contraire! This day, he said the offer ended and couldn’t give it to me. I asked for a manager who confirmed it. I could feel the rant starting to surface when I recalled that restaurant experience and decided $125 wasn’t worth my "little light" dimming. Actually, it became a holy moment as I started thinking: “I’ll bless someone with this perfectly good, old phone!” Take that, Satan!

Back to the title of this blog today: “Deferring to God’s will be done – not my will be done!” Another scenario. Another eyes-opening experience. I recognized how our emotions can be snafued by the enemy of our souls. As a Christ-follower, it's His will, not my feelings. It's about not having to be right because God will make it right.

I’ve come up with some solutions to conquering my emotions. When I'm upset or frustrated — I need to quickly get a grip and ask myself "Do I really need it to be my way? Or, do I defer to God having His way? After all, He is the rectifier. Looking and acting like Him in every situation is a win for Him AND me.

Are these negative feelings helping or hurting me? Are these feelings making my light grow brighter or dimmer? A lot of our feelings seem natural, but they’re actually self-defeating. Oh, I get it – from my restaurant and Best Buy experience. I was feeling like I was being taken advantage of in both situations. But were my emotions helping or hurting my representation as a follower of Christ? Does nagging work? Has it ever worked? When somebody mistreats or offends us, does it make us want to change? No! All it does is make us defensive.

Managing my emotions is a "big-girl" discipline and an "atta-girl" stamp of approval from my Heavenly Father. I think the Apostle Peter called it just right: "From now on, then, you must live the rest of your earthly lives controlled by God’s will and not by human desires.” (1 Peter 4:2). And if the perfect One, Jesus, deferred to God's will, so must I. "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Luke 22:42

Life is a Balancing Act!

I hold these photos so dear to my heart. It was eleven years ago and one of those times when my husband and I were visiting our son and family in Seattle. We made the most of every minute that we were there. Imagination ran rampant and Papa and Nana joined in with vigor and vitality. Unlike these teeter-totters, those in my younger years, were not my friend. I well remember when my see-saw partner decided to bale on me and I came crashing down on my bottom. I made sure I had reliable partners after that! I also remember, by myself, standing on the pivotal point of that see-saw trying to keep it in a horizontal position that required a lot of focus and balance.

In these photos you'll see we are making sure that balance is a big part of the boys' experience. I assure you, in my life, I've had to use that exercise in way more scenarios than just a teeter-totter. And, I know, for a fact, that my central point of attention and focus is keeping God in view while maintaining solid footing and balance. When I plant my heart and feet on the truth of God's Word and in Him who is my stabilizer, the winds, the waves, the shifting sand AND even the teeter totters will not cause me to crumble or stumble.

We Christians are called to a balanced life. That doesn't mean that we do everything with the same attention or even in moderation, but it does mean being obedient to God in every area of life. It may seem difficult to juggle so many balls at one time -- being an interested and active parent and fan to all the sports and extracurricular activities of our children, while maintaining a faithful and devoted prayer life, while doing a great job as a volunteer at a local organization or church and also being a dutiful and loving support to older parents and personally being devoted to a balanced healthy body and mind. It is truly a balance act that can be overwhelming and tiring.

But God didn't ask us to be the super mom and super dad or the super employee or the super child. He asked us to be "steadfast" in our faith, and to maintain our confidence in Him. He started this good work in us and He is faithful to complete it. "For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end." (Hebrews 3:14) The balance act in life starts with our surrender to He Who balances our lives as we surrender, yield and abide in Him. When we teeter totter with Him, He always brings balance to everything and everyone else in our lives.

Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."