Let me ask you a few questions, which have the power of
making you think differently about many situations. Have you ever been
approached by a homeless man or a woman? Did he or she ask you for some money?
Did you give it to him or her? If not, would your action change if you found
out the person asking you for money was God? This example is not to imply that
your current actions are wrong, it is just to help you think with an open mind.
In the past, I have talked to friends and family members about this same situation.
Some have stated that they would not give the money to the homeless person in
the first initial contact with the person. They preferred to make sure their
money was not being used for alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, and other illegal
substances. My question to you is can we really set those certain guidelines
with people and ensure our money is being used for its intended purpose?
Probably not; however we try, don’t we? Whenever I give to others, the
accountability of what they choose to do with the money leaves my hand and goes
straight to theirs’ when they accept my offering. I choose not to get
preoccupied with what my money is being used for because the responsibility of
its use has shifted to a new owner; the receiver.
Let’s look at another example. Have you ever had a tough
decision you needed to make and was not sure exactly what to do about it? Then
you went to work and your co-worker mentioned something dealing with your
question in a very casual discussion about something else? Was this by chance?
Probably not. We tend to have many questions and tough decisions in life that
are not always answered in the manner we would like them to be answered. Or are
they? Maybe the answer is not as straight forward as we would like it to be and
we have to wait for the answer though various signs. You know the statement
about, “Sometimes you meet people without even looking for them.” Well, the
same can be said when God answers our questions and prayers; sometimes our
questions and prayers are answered without us constantly contemplating on the
matter. Maybe the present is not the right moment to answer our question or what
we have prayed for is not in His plan for us. Have you ever thought, “Have I
missed the answer he sent me?” Sometimes we want to plan and set certain
courses for our lives that are outside of His plan that we miss His answer
because we are too busy looking for our own. While planning and acting is great
in some aspects of our life, other aspects have to be cultivated like in a
garden because the earth has to be ripe enough to receive the crop. In other
words, you have to wait until He is ready to answer you and make a decision.
~Words to the wise: Keep the faith and know that He lives,
loves, and often presents you with life’s lessons; Learn to stop repeating the things
that are keeping you from your fullest potential because He believes in you,
just as I do; and know that some time in life, even your favorite singer or NBA
star was faced with lessons that helped or hurt them.
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