Gratefulness

I believe that we can all agree that the year of 2020 has not been anything like the year we may have envisioned. Eleven months ago, I was looking forward to our upcoming trip to the Holy Land. I was planning, reading, researching and preparing for a trip that would hopefully give me more insight into the life of our Savior. Maybe you too had big plans for this year that didn't quite turn out the way you had hoped that they would.

                                                  

Looking back over my life I have always been a "planner." I buy an agenda each year and I jot down all of plans that I have for the upcoming year. In January we celebrate my Mother's birthday; in March we celebrate Eli's birthday; in April we will plan a trip to this destination; in August we will celebrate Hub's birthday and go to the zoo- the lists are endless. However, my world and my family's world came to a screeching halt in August of 2017 when my father was diagnosed with a very rare cancer. It was then that I realized how frivolous and silly all my "planning" really was. After walking through that difficult time, I penned in the front cover of my new planner the following year this statement: "This planner is filled with many plans, but any plans that are written in the bindings of this book that are not the plans of the Almighty, I pray that they never come to fruition."

Wayne Stiles' Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus is one of the books I read in preparation for our trip to Israel. Not only does Stiles highlight many significant sights to visit in Israel, but he also offers some real life insights as well. Stiles remarks that "Our greatest need from God isn't for Him to change our circumstances, but for Him to use our circumstances to change us." This statement hit me square between the eyes. In fact, I wrote it down in my agenda so that I would not forget it. How many times have I asked God to please remove the circumstance that He has asked me to walk through? 

Stiles goes on to say that "Great transitions in our lives come as a result of great pain. Perhaps we endure the death of a loved one, a mentor, or a dream. Sometimes the unexpected loss of a job, our health, or even our marriage comes as an unwelcome course in the curriculum God has for us. Often, we see the quickest and easiest way to where we want to go- or even where we should go- God allows Samaritans to cut across our path and force us to take the longer- and harder- route."  Jesus took his disciples through Samaria, which was the longer route to their destination. The disciples didn't understand why Jesus had chosen the longer, maybe even the more difficult, course to get to their destination, but they soon learned. It was in a Samaritan town that Jesus would meet the woman at the Jacob's well and offer her living water. She then in turn would run and tell everyone about the Jesus that she had met. 

Stiles poses this statement and question, "Our brief, little life here on earth represents the only time in all eternity when we can glorify God in the midst of struggle. Have you ever considered struggle as a temporary privilege?" While reading that, my initial answer was "No, I haven't considered a struggle a privilege." I have often looked at hard times and prayed the question, "Why?" We find that Jesus's disciples in Acts 5:41 actually rejoiced because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 

Maybe we are all walking through our own version of Samaria, but just remember that Samaria is not the final destination. Instead of asking God to change your present situation or to obliterate your problem, allow God to use that situation or problem to change you and bring you closer to Him. And finally, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18.