There were times when I would get very nervous about an expected outcome.  Not knowing what would happen gave me sleepless nights. I would toss and turn throughout the night. As my mind outlined thousands of possibilities. Each possibility would be carefully and deliberately mapped. Then visualized to its logical conclusion.

Back then, this was natural for me. I was a worrier. My way of operating was worsened by my career choice. The job required that I examine the requirements of a project and use logic to make these narrowly defined ideas become a reality. After much thought and brainstorming with the team finally the solution would be created.

All we had to do was examine all the logical possibilities and determine if they resolved the problem the client was trying to solve. Moving from idea to implementation took weeks at times. What was most important was the fact that we got it! We solved the problem. Yet there were some problems that could not be resolved with logic. They required far more.

Now I am awakened to realization that this is the realm in which God does his best work. He loves to operate outside of human logic. It is something I have struggled with.  Many a times I have wrestled with grasping the mind of God. His approach to doing things seems illogical to me.  Sometimes it is just nonsensical. Each time my mind tries to figure out how He does things I am baffled.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

When God started taking me on on a journey of getting to trust Him. (I call them my wilderness experiences). Sometime He caused me to be isolated from friends and family and without money. My logical mind reasoned what must be done to gain what was needed. “Do this. Do that. Make some calls. Panic! Make more calls. Access your professional network.”

I jump to it and almost immediately the Holy Spirit would interrupt me. He would send me on an itinerant errand that blocked me from completing my task. I obediently did what I was told.  However, I was nervous.

“Lord I need to get this done.  I will need money for so and so.”

“Do not worry about it”, came His calm response.  “Do what I have told you. Call this person. They need help with X. Pray for this person.”

My mind would wrestle with the consequences of not having the money available.  As usual, I could think of a myriad repercussions.  Every detail would be painstakingly rehearsed in my mind.

Anxiety would grip me.  Fear seized my body.

“How can the Lord want this of me now?  He’s not even paying attention to my needs.”

“What must I do to resolve my immediate needs?”

You see that was my old nature. The desire to fix everything in my own strength. Not trusting that God has my back. I so desperately want to fix everything but God is saying, “go do what I require”.

I did what was request but my mood was not the best. I was sullen about it. Not only was I irritate, I sometimes dragged my feet to do what I was told.

“How could He be so insensitive to my needs.  I have my own problems to deal with.  Why must I go help someone at the time of my greatest need!”

In an instance, I was reminded of the events of John 11. Jesus was summoned to come quickly.  Lazarus was ill and about to die.  Still He did not budge. He hung around with his homeboys. Four days after Lazarus died he chose to go see him. Given the temperature the body had began to decay. A pungent odor would be coming from it. The family and neighbors were in deep sorrow. Their beloved son, brother and friend and died. When Jesus came he was unusually calm. He was about to use this as an opportunity to teach a great lesson.

John 11:25

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Jesus had only one deep sorrow. The unbelief that he faced. It deeply pained him that after all the healing and miracles that they had witnessed. All they had heard and confirmed through witnesses they failed to recognize that nothing was impossible for Him. He was deeply pained. Deeply sorrowful at their outlook.

John 11:35

Jesus wept.

 Without much saying much more he moved to resolve the problem. The men were ordered to move the stone. Then with a very loud voice he commanded Lazarus to come forth. His friend who was asleep (the death of the righteous), immediately woke. His hands and feet were bound. Yet the power of God lifted him and carried him out of the cave. Jesus then asked them to loose him.

I can only imagine how quickly all tears dried up. Everyone was now rejoicing. Lazarus who was dead, is now alive. In perfect health and soundness of mind.

Let Him Fix It

If we are to overcome our being anxious nstead of wrestling Overcoming with our problems we must leargive it to JesuHim. When we take this approach, we allow all concerns to die. This is when we allow the concerns to die.  This is when we allow Him to be God.  When we release it, He can now resolve the problem.

Matthew 11:28-29

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Our Creator is the Master of time.  Everything He does is in keeping with His appointed hour.  He usually does not act at the same time but will allow it to deteriorate even further.  When it becomes a stench in our nostrils (further trouble) then he brings a resolution in a way we least expect.

Why would He do this?  He is teaching us to rest in the assurance that for every situation, “God’s got this”.

After completing the Lord’s bidding.  I would be pleasantly surprised.  What I needed would be provided.  Provisions would be made based on what I needed.  Not what I wanted.

Sometimes, I had to wait a little longer but He always delivered on His promise.

There are times when even in my need for money, clothing, etc.  He would tell me to let go of what I have.  I would be advised to make a sacrificial offering.  At all times, I would receive more than double whatever was released.  Sometimes even a hundredfold!

Whether your situation is big or small, rest.  Be assured that Jesus has already spoken life to it, even before you saw the solution.  He’s merely allowing time to catch up with His actions.  He is also using the situation to teach you care for others, faith and patience.  Everything is to build you spiritually.

He knows what we need before we even ask.  Rest in the assurance that God’s got this!

Matthew 6:25-34

_²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;

²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’

³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Photo credit:
Image by Lotus Carroll, from Flicker.com. Title: Mommy, You’re Going To Be My Wife One Day, Right?