In recent years with all we've faced and gone through, I have seen so many answers to prayer. It has been very special and encouraging. I'm grateful for each answer!
But there have been many things I've prayed for where I didn't see answers. I trust God. I trust His wisdom to know what's best. But sometimes I've wondered about the unanswered prayers - the obstacles I asked God to remove.....but they didn't budge. They remained bright as day - huge and unmoving.
At some point I came across this quote - "If God doesn't remove an obstacle, He'll help you find a way around it." And that's what happened. He helped me deal with the obstacles. He showed me how to overcome the problem that they caused. He led me in directions where the obstacle wasn't on the path.
I guess I still have questions that I wonder about, but I'll have all of eternity to ask the Lord about them. The thing that is foremost in my mind is that God helped me deal with the obstacle even when it wasn't removed. How awesome is that?!
"When they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away." Mark 16:4
"We triumph even in our troubles, knowing that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope - a hope which never disappoints us, since God's love floods our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us." Romans 5:3,5
"Know Him in all your paths, and He will keep your ways straight." Proverbs 3:6
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me, 'my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:8-10
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." Exodus 14:14
I know there will continue to be obstacles on my journey, but I also know God will remove them or help me find a way around them. That gives me such a sense of peace on the journey. How faithful and good He is!
Through the years we have been blessed to work with some wonderful people - to be part of some inspiring groups - and live in interesting places. One of the things we've learned is to "savor" each one of those. You never know when things will change, people move on, or even God moving us on.
We lived in Holland for 18 years. I thought we would continue living there for many, many years. And suddenly! - everything changed and we were leaving. We loved living there, loved the Dutch culture and people. We felt very much at home and wanted to stay. But God was leading a different way. I'm so glad that we had "savored" every day there. The years in Holland went with us in our hearts.
Our years in Kabul, Afghanistan were very different. It was not an easy place to live! So many challenges. And yet, I loved living there and "savored" all the rich experiences. We were there when the king was overthrown - an important moment in the history of the country. We were there when the Christian church (for foreigners) was torn down - a sad and historic day. The government had heard there was an "underground church." So they tore the building down and dug deep into the ground looking for that church. I have a piece of the marble floor of the church. Every time I look at it, it reminds me to pray for that country that is going through such hard times - especially the women and children.
If I counted right, we have lived in 13 different places, and worked with hundreds and hundreds of wonderful people. Not everything was easy and smooth going, but, none the less, we savored each place, each relationship, each person. I feel so blessed to have had the life we've had......"savoring" each minute. I thank the Lord for how He's led us all our years.
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:4
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10
"A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17
"God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." 1 John 4:8-11
"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
Our greatest wealth is not measured in terms of riches but relationships. We've never had a lot of money, but we are exceedingly rich in the gift of people in our lives.
