Re-alignment

"Every good and perfect gift is from the Lord..."

I think so often as Christians we get really, really confused. For whatever reason we start re-writing these kind of verses and make them more like this, "Every good and perfect gift is coming my way, because I am the Lord's"

Negatory, my dear friends. *Negatory. *A word that does not exist but really should, since I use it all the time in everyday speech.

In this day in age the Westernized World ( especially here in the States) is pretty darn sure they deserve success, they deserve happiness, freedom and justice...and even more so, as Christians we start thinking since we're a bunch of people that pray ( and therefore have an "in" with the Big Guy) that we're also going to get all of the things we've ever wanted... in a timely fashion-no less.
But, lately I am starting to realize ( not only that this is far from true, or even what the Bible promises us...) but also what a great blessing DIFFICULTIES are!

I never would have thought that after less than a year in Washington, and after about one year of marriage, Brett and I will be facing some really Heavy stuff. Yet, even now-while I'm still only facing the beginnings of this challenge-I am starting to see that this is God's real plan for my life.

How ELSE would I learn to rely on Him every single day? How ELSE would I learn the importance of prayer, the importance of reading His Word? How ELSE would I be able to give encouragement to those who are going through similar difficulties? How ELSE would I realize just how weak I am, how quick to fail? How ELSE would I see, more clearly than ever, that this life that I lead is really not my life at all?

Do you have dreams? Goals? Things you want to do with you life? Neat and tidy plans that you've secretly ( or not so) set out on a timeline and "given to God" so that He'll bring them to pass and one day you'll be able to "Praise Him" by giving a testimony that basically says "God gave me everything I ever wanted, and more?" Well, unfortunately, you're going to be surprised to find that the Story that God has waiting for your life will be far different from the plans and dreams you have now. More likely than not, if you are truly seeking Him and wanting His way in your life and not your own-than things will turn out far differently than your original dream....

It'll be better.

Better not because you'll be rich, famous, free, successful, or any other of the things...but because you'll slowly have the REAL promises of God made real in your life...the promises about being "transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit."