You Pick

I'm back from an impromptu trip to Mom and Dad's due to air conditioning failure (thank God it's working!) I tried to do my best to keep up with some learning even though I didn't plan this. A few weeks ago Dad broke his thumb in a 4 wheeler accident and is left to rest. My parents don't rest very well. Mom got some kind of infection or rash after pulling weeds in her garden- completely miserable. No rain, until last night when some crops were hailed out. Then I find she is dealing with a career decision. Who woulda thought I would be helping my mom decide on a job! Mind you, my mom only worked after I left the house, so she is still a homemaker to me. And now I'm probably talking way too much about my private parents.

To "work" or not to "work", that is the question. "Work" in quotations since we work hard- just not paid to work. To be a professional or spend most days sweaty and dirty and giving your all just to keep things moving along. I know the feeling. I love my go-to-work job.

Both options looked good, and honorable, the pros and cons were about equal. What was God's will? We spent hours looking through devotions and Bible verses, seeking a green light one way or the other. Finally, in a book I pulled off her bookshelf that she hadn' t read yet, I found the answer. It went something like this....

{If you have honored God with your decisions} and you still are not getting a clear answer, God is saying "you pick".

Do we (Christians) over-analyze things to the point that we expect God to map out every decision? I do. Do we over-spiritualize and complicate our lives so that we worry (which is NOT what God wants).....I do.

How do I say this??? We search so hard when the answer is right under our nose. When we ask, "What do I have to do to get what I want?" and we (mostly) know Psalm 23- only one chapter of many which points in the right direction.

The LORD is my shepherd,

I have everything I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows,

He leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths,

bringing honor to His name.

Even when I walk

through the dark valley of death,

I will not be afraid,

for you are close beside me.

Your rod and staff

protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You welcome me as a guest,

anointing my head with oil.

Your cup overflows with blessing.

Surely your goodness and unfailing

love will pursue me

all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23

I truly believe we make life harder than it has to be!!

Or at least I do, and I am thinking there are others like me!:)

And what I've found in my own life that the key to peace is humility. Humility to accept I will never be the person I think I should, so I have to rely on God's power. I am not smart enough, strong enough, quick enough, beautiful enough, talented enough, do not have enough time, and am not sane enough to accomplish.....really anything worthy of honor.

If there is only one path for me to take to become someone or to be used by God, I've lost my way looooong ago. But wait! It's not about the choices I make! It's about what God can do with me despite how unqualified I am!

The only one thing I need to be sure of is that I am following the one that can do this for me- Jesus-. What a relief.

And if that is the case, if I "Delight myself also in the Lord, and He will give me my heart's desire". Look out, because my heart's desire is not merely to keep things moving along. Paid job or not.