In the midst of daily storm and challenges, sometimes it is hard to be truly thankful for the gifts that God constantly provides. It is a daily reminder when I get an e-mail or a phone call that I am reminded of how much I am blessed to have these daily gifts when so many others are struggling to meet those. Isn't it strange that no matter where we are financially we always seem to find things that we need. The cost of living alone is a daily challenge for most of us, putting food on our tables and for so many even finding a decent place to stay for the family is a real struggle. Everyone wants to better their lives and the conditions for their families. The need never stops. Some needs are not always material. We pray for healing, for clarity in situations that are burdening our lives, for breakthrough, emotional healing and so on.
We pray for God to meet our needs, we cry out for miracles and blessings. It is in the moments of real pain and struggle that we reach out to God so He can extend His hand in mercy and grace. We know that He is faithful and just, that His love is unfailing...or do we? Are we in love with the gifts and the blessings...or the Giver?
The ultimate test of faith comes in those same moments of trial and pain. These are the toughest moments when we ask ourselves "Why?" and those are the same moments when I would check and examine my heart, "Do I really trust God? Do I truly believe that His love will never fail me? Is He Just and Trustworthy for me to give over to Him ALL my calamity, struggles, uncertainty and pain?"
The fact of the matter is, those were the questions that I used to often ask in my most difficult times. I was so concerned with the outcome and having control over knowing what will happen next. But today God spoke to me again revealing that when I worry about these things I am after what He can DO for me, rather than HIM. I was more in love with the gifts than the Giver. Today as I came to Him in prayer about the issues of life He showed me the reality of what I was really after, and at the same time He comforted me in the fact that He is already in control of the situations in my life and only He is worthy of my focus and full attention. "Let go...", He said.
Are you able to let go of whatever circumstance you have going on and redirect your focus from the gifts onto the Giver? Many times even the gifts that He has in store for us do not come in the package that we had expected, so we miss them or reject them, because they did not come in the exact way that we had expected. Do you really trust Him to give you His best?
Trusting God is not always easy...no one said it was going to be easy, if it was easy every body would do it ;) In fact, Jesus said, "Count the cost of following Me". Therein lyes the ultimate test of our faith and love for the Giver of all good things, the author and finisher of our Faith...Can you trust Him by letting go and simply seeking Him? As for me, this is where He has called me to be...
...and for that I am thankful...
"Seek ye first His Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all those things shall be added onto you." ~ Matthew 6:33
So trust Iliana, I am humbled by your view of understanding ^_^ Indeed, we have to Love the Giver more than the Gift. To focus on the relationship with the Father, and of course since He is our Father, He will of course Love on us, His children. But the best gift is the Father ^_^ If we grew to more understand what that actually means, how much more incredible would our Faith be, how much more would we treat each day, how much more in Love would we treat our brothers and sisters ^_^
ReplyDeleteTreating one another in love...that is one of the most profound and most intricate things we can do. As Christ said to one of the disciples, the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heats, minds and strength, but the sound that is as important is to love one another, and yet, this is not an easy thing sometimes for us to do, is it? If only... If only we mastered that. I examine myself and I pray and ask every day that I am able to love more like He loves. So many things that make up who we are seem to get in the way: our upbringing, lack of knowing how to love, poor habits, selfishness, ego, social norms for love, misleading perspectives on life, lack of trust, past hurts...you name it! If only we let God and got out of the way of loving, how beautiful would that be! But even for the best of us that is a struggle. The One who can really teach us HOW to love is Love Himself, so we ought to love Him first, learn to accept His love and then we can love others too. ;)
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