When Will It Get Better?

Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

Believe it or not, the question I get asked MOST often is "When Does Life Get Better?"  I hear this from people who are struggling with situations which are overwhelming or seem daunting or that they have been struggling with for a LONG time.  I get it!  I have had many a year being angry with God, Screaming out my prayers to Him even using the military vocabulary, Begging Him to make it better.  Yet, God seemed to remain silent.  It was as if He enjoyed seeing me struggle and fall over and over.  As a matter of fact, I would hang my head in complete exhaustion and ask God, "Can this possibly get any worse?"  And guess what?  The deceiver LOVES that challenge, because things got worse.

I was absolutely certain that God had decided I wasn't worth His time.  And then He proved me completely wrong.  Was it because things suddenly got better?  Nope!  Was it because things suddenly began to fall into place? Not a chance.  God proved me wrong by reminding me that sometimes His plans require waiting.  You see God is the one with the plan and He knows where all the components of His need to be for my part of His plan to move forward.   

When a baby is born, they cry when they're hungry, they cry when they're tired, they cry when they're soiled, they cry when they don't feel good...WHY?  Because they aren't ready to speak and tell us what's making them cry!  If babies could talk, not only would we be stunned, but it would take quite a lot out of the bonding process!  Think about it, if your newborn said, "Oh Mother, I'm feeling a tad peckish at present. Perhaps a bit of nourishment would just hit the spot"  what would your reaction be?  The truth is, we have to wait for them to develop enough to accommodate speech.  (Then we spend the next 18 years wondering when the talking will slow down.)

Look at the verse for today, Yet God has [already] made everything beautiful for its own time!  God's plans are ALREADY in place and in play.

Instead of wondering, perhaps we need to learn how to wait.

 

  

I Give Up?

So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Galatians 6:9 

I don't know about anyone else, but there have been times in my life when I was ready to just give up.  I was tired of trying.  I was tired of failing.  I was tired of waiting. I was tired of wondering.  I was TIRED!  I was ready to cash it in and say, "I'M DONE!"

But.....that would mean the Pit Dweller was the one in whom I had chosen to believe because it was he who whispered in my spirit that everything was all just pointless, useless, and worthless, and so was I.  Sadly, I began to believe his lies.

But.....God has a way of reminding us who is truly in control of all things.  When I felt my lowest, He was there in the form of one of the most stubborn friends I ever had, who would NOT let me give up!  

Take another look at today's verse: "Let not get tired of doing what is good..."  How can we say that we love our neighbors as we love ourselves if we are not doing what is good?  How can we say we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength if we aren't willing to do what is good?

Then there's the part: "At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up."  Does God say that we will receive a blessing immediately?  Nope!  Does God say that our doing good will be welcomed and well received?  Nope!  Does God say we should only do what is good to those who will appreciate it and reward us?  NOPE!

God tells us that at the right time we WILL reap a harvest of blessing.  An entire harvest of blessing! Not just one or two, but an entire harvest!  And here's the kicker...."IF WE DON'T GIVE UP!"  We must be persistent.  We must be continual (one-and-done doesn't work).  We must be patient!  At JUST THE RIGHT TIME our harvest of blessing with come.

 

Whose Time Is It Anyway?

But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength;
they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings,
they run without growing weary,
they walk without getting tired.

Isaiah 40:31 

I like to watch birds fly.  To see such majesty as a hawk or an eagle is breathtaking.  And it reminds me of the words of Isaiah "they rise up as if they had eagles' wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired."  Such promises are encouraging and uplifting, when we read them we feel out hearts begin the ascent into the skies of joy...and then reality hits and we come crashing back into our trials and struggles.  We tend to blame God for not answering our prayers immediately and solving all our struggles without any effort on our part because, after all, He is God and we are not.

We tend to miss the important part of this passage found in the first line: "But those who WAIT for the Lord's help..."  We must learn that God works on HIS schedule, not ours, and we must learn to wait.  Now....this doesn't mean we sit back on the sofa and wait for God to decide to do something.  Far from it!  God reminds that none of our impatience will get Him to work any faster, just like continually pushing the elevator button does not bring the elevator to you any faster!  When God tells us to "Wait" and "Be Still" He expects us to focus on Him and listen for Him.

Why are we to wait and be still?  Let's think about a couple of possible reasons...could it be that we are still struggling to get past our past?  Could it be that God is putting all the pieces in place for His perfect plan for you which might include someone else gaining experience to help us?  Could it be that God wants us to slow down and realize the incredible gift He has given us in the nature which is all around us?  Could it be God is simply reminding us who is the one who is really in control of everything (time, situations, plans, details)?

As we wait on the Lord let's not be idle!  Take the time to reflect and THINK.  God is God and we are not!

It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!

For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.

~Ecclesiastes 3:1

A couple of years ago, for all my Parrotheads, Jimmy Buffett did a little ditty called "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere."  The point of the song is exactly what Solomon is reminding us in  today's Scripture!  There is a time for everything, and that means the time is always NOW!  Think about this message! 

This means:

     *  the time to do what is right is NOW!

     *  the time to tell your loved ones that you love them is NOW!

     *  the time to do your best at work is NOW!

     *  the time to make those positive changes is NOW!

     *  the time to stop procrastinating is NOW!

     *  the time to make things right with someone you are on the outs with....is NOW!

     *  the time to be that good friend is NOW!

     *  the time to step up and PARENT is NOW!

     *  the time to stop cutting corners is NOW!

     *  the time to remember that you are God's chosen child and act like it, is NOW!

     *  the time to stand on your own two feet is NOW!

The time to do the best things for yourself and for those you care about....is NOW!  Make those changes! Mend those relationships! Take those steps! Do it NOW!  After all....It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!

                            

5 O'Clock