Gods Purpose

I have been struggling all day to come up with a topic for this month’s newsletter. I prayed and waited to hear from God about what he would like me to share.

Nothing.

So, I prayed again, and what I heard him say was, “Go get your Bible.”  Naturally, I listened, got up, and walked over to my bookshelf at the office and grabbed my Bible.

Ahhh, my good ol’ trusty Bible. I have used this specific Bible since I started working in the profession of human services in 2015.  I have scriptures underlined, writings in various spots, and pieces of us (God and I) squeezed or not squeezed into small or large sections defining words I don’t understand the meaning of, all the way to writing the thoughts of my heart. I love this Bible!

As I sat at my desk, I opened my precious and well-used piece of art and stared at the pages.  Still, I had no direction on a specific topic.  I decided to close my eyes and open my Bible one more time. I let out a deep breath, opened the Bible with my eyes still shut, and let the pages fall as they pleased, stopping when I felt called to.  God had me stop in the book of Proverbs.  My favorite book of the Bible!  So many lessons and so much wisdom on how we are expected to live, guided by the things about us that matter most to God, our character.  As I continued reading the different scriptures I have underlined over the years, I was starting to get slightly discouraged because I still wasn’t feeling “the one.”  And then there it was.  Like a lit-up Christmas tree with all the comforts it brings--Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart. But it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  Simple, yet speaks volumes at how we are instructed (many times throughout the Bible) to SEEK first the kingdom, then to TRUST Him (especially when we don’t understand), and lastly to FOLLOW.

You've got to love God for keeping it simple!

In breaking this scripture down, seeking first the Kingdom can be done in a few ways. One way, for example, is to quiet the heart and mind and pray to the Lord your repentance, your sorrows, your blessings, your needs, and as you seek the kingdom, PRAISE!!!  As with any request we ask of God it results in an answer. Sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly, but nonetheless, we receive an answer. After prayer, our part is to LISTEN for the answer intentionally with our hearts, hear correctly with our ears, and wait patiently on the Lord in confidence that whatever the answer may be, it is God’s will!  As Matthew 7:7-8 tells us, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

TRUST! This is the next step in Proverbs 19:21. I don’t know about you, but this can be a scary word for me.  I imagine it can be the same for many others as well. However, when I have trusted with my whole heart, God is the only being that has come through and never let me down.  I don’t know anyone else in the world who would die on the cross as Jesus did (painfully) for me, and I can honestly say, I don’t think I would either.  But He did!  I think that is someone worth trusting!  This is an action that may not come easily but will always require patience and the willingness to trust what you do not see. "We walk by faith, not by sight" Corinthians 5:7.

The last step is to FOLLOW!  This is also a step that can be difficult at times or easier at times, depending on the person and the situation.  Trust and reliability in worldly ways have become almost nonexistent, leaving many of us unable to do so with those around us, so I absolutely understand the challenge to trust, but then to also follow.  What has always brought me comfort when following God's will is knowing that if God's almighty power can PREVAIL over all, then where I am headed, God will go with me, and whether the journey is difficult, painful, uncomfortable, or wonderful, prosperous, and joyful, the result will be worth it. Why, you ask?  Because a journey with God will produce character, wisdom, meet all our needs, strengthen our relationship with Him, and create in us perseverance and resilience in a world where those qualities greatly matter to our peace or our survival.

I see God working every day in the lives of our men at Jobs of Hope!  He is working in them as much as they will allow for the betterment of His will and calls on each one of their lives. And even though perseverance and resilience are no strangers to our men, they now get to develop these skill sets to work for them, not against them.  To be the power behind the ability to live well, instead of surviving well.  And when, after we ask, trust, and follow, as His will prevails all, we get to transform, become more Christ-like, enter the Kingdom of heaven, practice commitment, and receive spiritual guidance, no matter the difficulty or ease of the journey.

It is in our hope and confidence that the road ahead is for our benefit and for the glory of His Kingdom. “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might FOLLOW in his steps.” –1st Peter 2:21

-Opal Hatfield