And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Last Saturday was one of those days that didn’t need to be crazy, but my attitude started to make it that way. God really did provide a solution to everything, but I had a reverted back to my old ways a couple of times wanting things to follow my plan.
There was a dish I needed to make for a banquet we were going to. I was already behind and didn’t have all the ingredients. My hubby was kind enough to run to the grocery store to get me what I needed on his lunch break the day before. As I was setting the ingredients on the counter that morning, I couldn’t find the mushrooms. They were used the night before!
Could we just run to the store? Yep! Did I still have time? Yep! Did I stay in the right frame of mind? Nope. I couldn’t see us running to the store again when we were just there. Pretty silly…it needed to be done, and we were able to do it. God had a HUGE lesson in store for me.
The hubby went to get the mushrooms and came back from the store with a story to tell. He ran into someone who was in great need. Her husband was laid-off and there wasn’t enough money in her account. Her kids needed to eat and her card was being declined. God put my hubby there at the exact right time where he could be God’s hands. There was a reason we didn’t have those mushrooms for the dish, but I didn’t think of that at the time.
Instead of getting excited to see what God had planned when things weren’t going according to my plan, I had a bad attitude. I complained, yet God still used us to do the exact thing we ask of Him…show us how to give, how to help, how to bless, and how to be His hands here on earth. I could’ve screwed it all up by not going with the flow, relaxing, and letting God take care of it. I learned so much over the past month and was ashamed at not seeing the positive in the situation. Not showing faith.
The character trait for today is Faith-confidence that actions rooted in good character will yield the best outcome, even when I cannot see how (definition from characterfirst.com).
I stopped showing gratitude in that situation. I should’ve been saying thanks that we can get the ingredients, thanks that we have time, thanks that my hubby came home early. See, God had every detailed planned. All I needed to do was have gratitude in what I did have and keep confident that God would work the rest out. I couldn’t see how this could be a good thing, but that’s the point…I’m not God. I learned a very important lesson that I need to do what I can with thankfulness and a good attitude, and let God do the rest.
He drove His point home that night. Something new I’ve been doing is writing down what I think God might be telling me in my prayer time every morning. I’m still learning to listen to His voice. When I settled into bed that evening, I pulled out what I wrote earlier in the morning. I got goose bumps. It was something I didn’t even remember by 11:00 a.m. It said, “Give in the name of Jesus Christ.” He even told me, but I still wasn’t searching for what He gave me a heads-up on.
Today, don’t get caught up in the stuff that won’t matter five years from now or even next week. Keep a good attitude, and know that God will work everything out for the good of those who love Him! I guarantee He has a plan that is bigger and greater than yours.
