Blessed Assurance (Part Two)

Last night I couldn't sleep. I was in a knot about my students. I had made a HUGE mistake! I had run ahead of God and instead of praying for His direction and His leading. I was offered a job and just jumped on it! So this morning (at 4 a.m. to be exact!) I found myself asking for forgiveness, taking a deep breath, and getting behind the Shepherd instead of in front of Him!

On the way to Bible study, I called the lady that interviewed me on Saturday and explained what I had done (taken on way too many hours) and why I had done this (because I saw this as an opportunity to make more money because of our situation with Bill's job). She was so understanding and sweet, and we were able to come up with a workable solution.

Then I walked into Bible study. This was the last lesson of our book, Assured By God. It was also the last time I will be able to attend now that school will begin next week. The last chapter was written by Jerry Bridges. I have always enjoyed his teachings and have taught a few of his books for various women's groups. It was a difficult lesson to read, in many ways, because it dealt with discipline and adversity. And yet it was so timely for what Bill and I are facing right now, and, in the end, brought me a deep sense of God's presence and peace. Here are a few of the sentences I underlined in this chapter:

• Adversity (as presented in Hebrews 12) is not the result of a particular sin. Rather, it is part of God's growth process....
• There is no such thing as as chance or meaningless events in our lives.
• ...we make light of God's discipline when we fail to see God's hand in whatever adversities we encounter.
• We may speak of the "blessing of discipline" even though such discipline comes to us in the form of the adversities of this life. All of our adversities, regardless of their source and severity, come to us from the infinitely wise and loving heart of our Father, who intends them for our good.

Bridges reminded me that my response should be one of humble submission and trust - not one of anger or telling God how unfair He is. It doesn't mean I can't pray for relief; even Jesus did that in Matthew 29 in the Garden before the crucifixion. But He prayed in total submission to His Father. God desires the same thing from all of His children.

This little prayer was included in this final chapter:

Lord, I am willing to

receive what You give

lack what You withhold and

relinquish what You take.

It's painful, but it is (in a strange way) a joyful experience to see how God continues to sustain Bill and I through days that, to our earthly eyes, appear to be so hopeless.

How thankful I am that God teaches me so patiently and tenderly because, truth be told, I can be quite a "pill"!!!