A beloved family member of mine did not qualify for a job position even though he had put in a lot of hard work and dedication. I felt his disappointment deeply.
During such occasions I uphold my loved ones in prayer, plead with ABBA father to be the wind under their wings. I pray that God would help them run the race, help them soar and favor them; but in this case my constant meditation and non-stop pleading did not seem to bring favorable results.
To sum up - my prayer would be:
“God, please show up. Please show up. Show up, please”.
But there was disappointment. And what a defeating feeling it is!
Personally, I have faced many disappointments. Let me recount some stories from my student days for you. After ever so many early mornings basketball practices, I ended up as a substitute player in the team. In school, I participated in several elocution contests without making it to the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. I had burnt the midnight oil in preparation for the GMAT entrance exams (nationwide entrance exam to qualify for MBA seats) but that too, ended in naught. Everything seemed pointless.
Numerous times were there when I had been disappointed. The ones listed above are just a few.
We expect God to show up especially in important events in our lives. When we wouldn’t get the results we anticipated, we often conclude that God never showed up. It wasn’t HIS will. HE never participated with us in any of these events and hence the disappointing outcome.
Oh how we deceived ourselves thinking this way!
Now as an adult with a better comprehension of who God is, I hear HIM say, “No, Coretta. This is my party. I invited you. You need to show up”.
Wait... what??
Pondering on that, realization dawns...
My life has a story with one HERO in it – God.
Your life has a story with one HERO in it – God.
Our lives are HIS story.
You and I are invited to participate and play specific roles.
We need to just show up.
Have you ever read Isaiah 40:21-23? I like the way THE MESSAGE BIBLE rephrases the passage, as mentioned below:
“Have you not been paying attention?
Have you not been listening?
Haven’t you heard these stories all your life?
Don’t you understand the foundation of all things?
God sits high above the round ball of earth.
The people look like mere ants.
HE stretches out the skies like a canvas-
Yes, like a tent canvass to live under.
HE ignores what all princes says and do”.
To sum up this passage in three words, I’d say – “God is sovereign”.
It means that God is the supreme ruler, the ultimate –absolute-independent-most effective-infallible power!
As a supreme ruler HE oversees everything especially for HIS children. HE is just and fair. HE sees the hard work and efforts we’d put in. HE sees our future before we even dream of it. HE knows how we could or would react to situations. HE knows our deepest and hidden desires. HE thinks independent of any man’s opinion. HE is absolute. HE is no respecter of man-made rules or man’s opinions. HE takes sovereign decisions.
Taking the word of God to be the infallible truth, The Lord has always been there for us, individually. In fact in every situation, “God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. HE won’t let you down. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry”. (Deut 31:8 The Message)
HE won’t let you down: This is not only true when you’re successful. If you think that your efforts amounted to nothing (failure in your eyes), HE still did not let you down (God does not lie). HE knows what good is in store ahead (future) of you, and HE is not letting you down for what’s ahead.
Don’t be intimidated and worry: God said it. Not man. So, if you know HE never lets you down, why be afraid or worry about the outcome or results of all your efforts at winning?
Looking back, I may have been just a substitute basketball player but I was part of the team, had my day in the sun, scored a few baskets, learned hard work and humility in preparation for other sports like netball where I had a better role to play. I may not have won the elocution contests because they were only stepping stones to bigger wins in debate competitions. I did not qualify for GMAT because my calling was not to manage business in a corporate structure but to be part of a bigger role of expanding the Kingdom of God, working alongside with God.
Irrespective of outcomes, we are invited to participate in life.
God is already in it.
It is on us to show up, at HIS party.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose for them”.
Romans 8:28
About the author: Coretta Christy is a mission mobilizer.
She left the software engineering field to
pursue on God's heartbeat which is to take the gospel to the unreached.
She has served in Cambodia for more than 4 years
and is now actively mobilizing the church in India
to send missionaries to the unreached.
Comments