The Part Of God’s Will No One WantsParaugs

Trust deeply

In the most difficult times, we can trust deeply that the parts of His will we don’t want are the very things He will use to accomplish His eternal plan! He is faithful not to wound us at random; He is faithful to save us forever. Throughout our lives, we will surely experience pain and heartache, but they are not meant to thwart the mission of the Lord, but to further it! So, keep standing. Keep trusting. Echo Peter’s words as your declaration of truth in troubled times:

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God”.

As Jesus drew closer to the cross and to His death, His disciples became more and more frightened and disoriented. They were hoping for something more “secure”. Not surprisingly, some of His followers began to fall away. But Peter had it right. He understood that the best thing for them at the time was to press in even closer to Jesus than before. There was no better place for them to be.

Those times when we want to move just to keep from feeling trapped are the very times we need to be still and lean in closer to embrace His will. Don’t leave ... cleave! The more closely you walk with Christ in the uncomfortable of the unknown, the greater clarity of life you will experience. Are you confused? Hurt? Disoriented? Cling to Christ and His Word like never before.

Getting mad doesn’t help either. Anger is a secondary emotion. It doesn’t achieve the will of God. In tough times our anger and resentment can begin to simmer. We imagine that by drifting away or giving God the cold shoulder, we can teach Him a thing or two. The beginning step is to seek an ally that will love us better than God. Some see alcohol as a ready friend offering quick comfort. Others believe a church switch to where “people really understand me” will relieve their pain. Coping mechanisms and strategies for handling hurts and disappointments abound. But regardless of the action we choose, we’re focusing again on a tiny pencil dot on the line of eternity. Maybe that very realization is what prompted Peter to declare to Jesus, “Where else would we go?”