We have to be careful what we say. Our words have creative power, and all too often I find myself talking about how all the things I'm most afraid of are true, while the things I want will never happen in a million years. Not smart.
I'd love to offer some grand plan for choosing our words wisely, but I'm no expert. One discovery I've made, though: silence works. Sometimes, it's all I can do to keep myself from playing along when someone declares definitively that "We're all going to get the flu this winter," or "There are no more good guys around." But what I CAN do in those moments is shut my mouth. I don't have to agree.
In my better moments, I'm able to say what I want (and believe) to be true: that my immune system works quite well and I'm not afraid of winter, for example; that God knows how many good guys are needed and has made enough.... But in areas where my belief-o-meter is running low, the least I can do is not add to the avalanche of fear and doubt swirling around in the world.
There aren't many things I "know for sure" (as Oprah might say). But I know that God has a plan, and things will work out well in the end. I have no idea how, or when. But that's okay. This is where today's quote comes in: "The walk of faith is to live according to the revelation we have received, in the midst of the mysteries we can't explain." (Bill Johnson). That pretty well sums it up.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the people of Corinth about the challenge of walking this line, being caught between prophecies--things we hear from God about what the present might mean or the future might hold--and the challenge to love in the midst of all the questions we still have. "Love never fails..." He says. "For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." I don't pretend to know exactly what that means (Paul was a complicated guy) but here's one thing I take comfort in: God is love, and he won't fail. The perfect is on the way.
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8 comments:
I'm going to make more a conscious effort to speak or be silent this way
Good point. It's so easy to fall into line and agree that there are no good decent single men. But God knows where they are!
I feel like agreement, even tacit agreement is a weakness of mine. Yet as I read this post, and began wishing that I could speak up more, I realized that I have begun doing so: I've been blogging and talking to people about the bold prayers I'm praying, to the point where I wonder if I'm being foolish. But I think it's exactly the kind of "foolishness" that God is calling me to right now, risking looking like a fool in front of people, but hoping in Him anyway. I think I've been dry-docked way too long, and am quite antsy to get out to sea!
And take heart, ladies! Although I haven't found the right guy for myself, I know they're out there -- I manage to be "just friends" with tons of them ;-).
Hi, I have been invited to join this journey by my friend Rachael and I'm thrilled to have been included. I love the words today. After having struggled to find secure work for the past 2 years, I started a fabulous new job last week for a company that is based one block away from where I live, with a very cool bunch of people. Everything about it is heavenly. My prayers finally paid off - not in my time, but in God's time - and my life is suddenly filled with silence. No more noise in my head about how I am going to manage financially, questioning my talents etc etc. What it took at the end, was 3 very intense weeks of having no social connections and therefore not putting myself in a situation where I was at risk of listening to others' opinions and pushing into my faith and having conversations with God like never before. And in being in this silence now, I am experiencing a very profound connection with the divine. I am authentically excited about what God has in store for me next...for I know there is a lot on my heart that I am now starting to speak.
I love what you say, Holly, about a new willingness to be foolish, and that somehow God is behind it. I find myself like never before telling people I want to get married and I'm praying for my husband. I would have never done that a couple years ago before I came back to faith! Too vulnerable, and I was way too "cool". What a relief it is to finally rest with God in my vulnerability and "foolishness",knowing that he is loving me in that, and working through that. Yes, words do have power as Trish said, and speaking these desires out into the open has freed my heart and I believe, even made me more loving with people in their vulnerability as well. P.S. I'm so excited you are on here, Jane!
Love that quote by Bill Johnson, and the thought that "the perfect is on the way." My pastor recently preached a sermon about the Kingdom of God - how we have glimpses of it now, but its full revelation won't be until heaven. It's already, but not yet. A weird tension to live in. So too with the perfect is on the way - we have tastes of God's perfect provision already, but the full solution - not yet. Already, but not yet. Just something that's been helpful for me to meditate on.
I agree that words are powerful. Sometimes as I am journaling my prayers, I catch myself in a low-faith and almost pessimistic mode. And being an introvert, I find I can have a lot of discouraging thoughts, but not vocalize them. So in addition to what I am saying, I also try to keep tabs on what I am thinking.
And in the spirit of openness: I too am praying that I would find the guy for me and get married. Today I had the courage to pray that I would meet him this summer!
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