For the past few months I have been taking a long walk almost every day. Normally it is a three mile trek which takes me about an hour. Even though it is somewhat strenuous, it is also spiritually uplifting. You see, this is the time I take to listen. However, I am listening to worship music not the outside world. In other words, this has become a time of worship.
Many times during my walk, I find myself going over the events that are currently taking place in my life and wonder why. It seems as though there is always some kind of struggle. It seems that more and more, my schedule is at the mercy of others, and it does not work out like I planned. Inevitably someone needs my attention. They want to talk about something that is bothering them, or they want to debate an issue. Never in my life has it been as much as it is now, and sometimes it is overwhelming. Oddly enough, today as I am pondering this phenomenon, it hits me. I asked for it.
As a matter of fact, I prayed for it. That’s right, it was a request made to the Mighty God we serve. God reminded me that I often pray, “Thy will be done.” Specifically, I have been praying regularly that God would use me. So the answer as to why there is always someone, it is because God is using me. What I have been seeing as a struggle is really a blessing from God.
Subsequently, this revelation began to make me laugh out loud. What I perceived as trouble in my life was the very thing I had asked from God. Now there was now a feeling of relief. It’s not about me. It’s about God working through me. It is God showing me something that I need to work on. First of all, I need to remember what I ask for. Secondly, when someone needs my attention or wants to debate an issue, it could be that it is just as much about God showing me something as it is about dealing with their issues.
The point is, no matter how hectic life gets or how out of line we think it is, the Sovereign God of the universe is at work. The Bible tells us that even though we may think we know what we are doing, it is God who leads us. Proverbs says this, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps” (Proverbs 16:9, KJV). Be encouraged, don’t struggle against the Lord. Remember what Paul said, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, KJV). Love God and remember there is a purpose for everything.
