When I heard Shelby Swink’s story about being dumped by her boyfriend of three years only five days before they were scheduled to be married, I couldn’t help but think about the fact that sometimes unanswered prayers are a blessing in disguise. God has a funny way of working things out in our favor even when we can’t or refuse to see how it’s working in our favor at the time. That’s why it’s so important to seek His heart for us and not just His hand. When we spend time learning of Him, we learn His will for our lives and can begin to pray according to that will, not our own. While I’m sure there were warning signs prior to her boyfriend’s admission that he did not love her, for some reason she was unable to see them or either chose to ignore them. Nevertheless, I admire the way that Shelby was able to “embrace the journey that is [her] life and thrive on the fuels of opposition” as one of my fellow authors, Sabrina Memminger, puts it. (www.SabrinaLMemminger.com) Instead of remaining bitter about it, she has chosen to see the blessing in it. Instead of wallowing in complaints, she is thankful that her fiance told her before the wedding rather than waiting two years and two kids down the road. Now that is true. Although his timing was a bit delayed and majorly inconvenient, it was right on time. I don’t know if I would have been so quick to bounce back from the embarrassment and heartache and I definitely know I would think twice about ruining an expensive wedding gown. But hey, if she likes it I love it.
Tag Archive for Christianity
The Blessing of Unanswered Prayers
Certainty
Not the call after the date
Not the reciprocity of feelings
Not the new guy you considered a prospective mate.
Not the check in the mail
Not the weather
Not the price of gas
Not the stock market
Not job security
Not the next 20 years, 2 weeks, 2 hours, 2 days, 2 minutes or 2 seconds.
But one thing is certain:
There is a God who cares about everything we face
Who wants to supply all our needs
Who wants to hold us, love us, and spend time with us
Who wants to paint a rainbow after your storm
Who wants us to know that He never changes;
that His mind toward us is evident in His Word
that we are His beloved.
Now should we trust in a God like that–certainly!
Ferguson + NYC = End Times Foretold
Not knowing what to say, I haven’t wanted to respond to the recent injustices happening in our country–until now. Most of the arguments surrounding events in Ferguson and New York have been steeped in racial prejudice. And while race does seem to play a huge role, it is not the only factor to consider. I am upset about the unwarranted deaths of unarmed black Americans too, and I wish that I could say that it surprises me, but it doesn’t.
Jesus warned us about this.
“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.[a] 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations[b] will hear it; and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:7-15 NLT).
All of the social unrest that exists in our nation and in the world was foretold over 2000 years ago. We are living in the last and evil days. We can see it in the unpredictable weather, in the rebellious actions of children, and yes in the senseless deaths of innocent people. And our enemy, Satan, is enjoying all of it because he is the accuser of the brethren. He is the author of confusion. He is the one who comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus told us this also so that we wouldn’t be ignorant of his plans.
Am I saying that we should have a we-knew-this-would-happen-so-suck-it-up-and-move-on attitude? ABSOLUTELY NOT! What I want to express is that we should heed Jesus’ warnings to watch and pay attention to what is going on around us. Now more than ever, people who don’t have a personal relationship with Christ should be running to Him and those who do name the name of Christ should be drawing closer to Him and bringing others along with them. Deepening our relationship with Him will give us the confidence to trust Him for our safety and the well-being of our beloved children. If we really know Him, we’ll know that He has our backs and keeps us covered at all times. There is no defense like His defense–not in a court of law, not in guns and violence, and not in a political system. If we really know Him we don’t have to worry or live in fear about our families and communities. It’s when we don’t know Him through salvation that our fate lies in the hands of Satan–and that should come as no surprise either. It seems that what black America and the entire world for that matter should be doing instead of lifting their hands to say “don’t shoot” is lifting their hands toward God in worship.
I’m just sayin’.
