The Three P's
My mentor and Bible Study Fellowship teacher, Jo, says that God Pursues us, he Protects us, and he Provides for us. Today, when we met, we included the fourth "P" - Prepare.
We were studying John 1: 19-23. The truth about God in this passage (that I found) was that God prepares his people. The way that I struggle with that thought is that sometimes preparation is painful and miserable, but the outcome incredible. Jo even prays (when she goes through a preparation or struggling time) to keep her in that time because being in pain is better than being lukewarm, or apathetic. Like the passage where God says that he will spit those who are lukewarm out of his mouth. He'd rather we be hot or cold. That passage refers to the springs in Israel - where a cool stream and a hot spring run together, the water is lukewarm and is not good to drink, nothing grows or thrives there, either.
I believe God is like this because in this preparation time that we've all gone through, often it hones our minds and our hearts to be more like Christ, to see more clearly, and hopefully, to not have to be "prepared" in that certain way again! God has demonstrated this to me through the events of the past 5 months. I thought that a decision I had made was the right decision, that I was in God's will and that everything was cool. Now, I'm coming to see that yes, the decision was right for that time, but it was to bring me to a new place, another journey. This place is God's will, too, I believe. That doesn't make the previous place wrong, it's part of the process: the preparation. And, most likely, the new journey will be a preparation for another one. I'm learning that life isn't a destination, but a journey. I always thought it was a destination: When I graduate from college, I'll be happy; when I get married, I'll be happy; when I get a job, I'll be happy. It's during these times and these preparation points that we are being molded and shaped and even though I would like to discount those times and forget about them, that's the last thing I should do! I need to hold them at close distance, and learn from them. Then I'm that much wiser the next time a decision is to be made or a new journey is to be taken.
These are very personal thoughts. I believe this is how God speaks to me, even if it seems he is far from me. Pain causes growth, pain and growth both cause my relationship with God to move to new levels.
We were studying John 1: 19-23. The truth about God in this passage (that I found) was that God prepares his people. The way that I struggle with that thought is that sometimes preparation is painful and miserable, but the outcome incredible. Jo even prays (when she goes through a preparation or struggling time) to keep her in that time because being in pain is better than being lukewarm, or apathetic. Like the passage where God says that he will spit those who are lukewarm out of his mouth. He'd rather we be hot or cold. That passage refers to the springs in Israel - where a cool stream and a hot spring run together, the water is lukewarm and is not good to drink, nothing grows or thrives there, either.
I believe God is like this because in this preparation time that we've all gone through, often it hones our minds and our hearts to be more like Christ, to see more clearly, and hopefully, to not have to be "prepared" in that certain way again! God has demonstrated this to me through the events of the past 5 months. I thought that a decision I had made was the right decision, that I was in God's will and that everything was cool. Now, I'm coming to see that yes, the decision was right for that time, but it was to bring me to a new place, another journey. This place is God's will, too, I believe. That doesn't make the previous place wrong, it's part of the process: the preparation. And, most likely, the new journey will be a preparation for another one. I'm learning that life isn't a destination, but a journey. I always thought it was a destination: When I graduate from college, I'll be happy; when I get married, I'll be happy; when I get a job, I'll be happy. It's during these times and these preparation points that we are being molded and shaped and even though I would like to discount those times and forget about them, that's the last thing I should do! I need to hold them at close distance, and learn from them. Then I'm that much wiser the next time a decision is to be made or a new journey is to be taken.
These are very personal thoughts. I believe this is how God speaks to me, even if it seems he is far from me. Pain causes growth, pain and growth both cause my relationship with God to move to new levels.
posted by Heather | 8:46 AM
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