Unwanted Moments: Let Go & Shine Through

Life is not fair and sometimes unwanted moments happen to God’s people. I’m sure this isn’t news to any of us, but it still hurts. Why would God allow awful situations to occur in His children’s lives? It’s an age-old question we’ve all wrestled with at one point. I don’t have an answer but may have an analogy to help.

Let’s start with truth: God is God and we are not. His plans and ways are higher than ours; He knows the future and we do not. We may know this, but don’t always understand or agree with His methods. Honestly, I don’t want full knowledge of what will happen in my (or others’) futures. I certainly would wimp out of something God called me to or try to prevent things happening to my loved ones. It’s a good thing I don’t know.

So, if I trust Him with my future and to direct me accordingly, why do I doubt His plan? Wondering about this the other day, a thought occurred. God created all of us with His purposes in mind. He calls and directs us according to His purpose working everything out for our good. If that’s the case, then maybe what seems unfair, unwanted, or bad is really God helping us accomplish His purpose.

What’s your Purpose?

Imagine it like golf. We pick the correct club for the shot or moment at hand. We don’t use a putter to hit off the tee because its job is to putt on the green. Each club is chosen and hit because we have a plan, a purpose for the bigger picture. The club doesn’t know the plan. Its job is to function the way it was created and meant to be used, even if that’s not what the club wants. (If golf clubs had feelings…)

It’s the same with God. He created us in this time for His reasons. We don’t know the overall big picture, but He does. If we are a putter and try to do the job of a driver we will never succeed. The Potter crafted our clay for His specific plan, yet He also gives us free will. We can try to live the life of a driver, but we’ll toil in vain doing something that isn’t our purpose.

When we surrender control to the One who created us, we truly shine. The driver drives, the putter putts, and together they fulfill God’s larger plan. We live the life and execute the purpose God had in mind for us all along. In those moments, we reflect the glory of the One who made us.

This certainly doesn’t explain all the unwanted moments in our lives. But maybe when things don’t go as planned, it could be God directing us to our purpose. Maybe we need to go through one thing to increase our abilities for the next thing. Or something is happening to us to assist someone else. Maybe it’s not all about us. It could be about God’s bigger purpose and plan that only He knows. What we don’t understand or want could be exactly what we need to fully realize our purpose in this life.

O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. ~ Jeremiah 18:6

A Shift in Perspective

We can wonder, worry, and whine in our seasons of unwanted moments. Or we can simply surrender and trust in our good God and His good plan. It’s not easy. We may want to scream, fight, or give up. No one would blame us.

Instead, let’s lean in and lean on. Lean in to our good God, remembering His faithfulness in the past and His promises for our future.  Lean on our Savior who understands our pain and longs to carry our load.

We can’t be a driver if we’re created to be a putter. All our wants and desires may not transpire in this life. But the upside is God’s purposes WILL. We simply need to trust our Potter, our Savior, our God. It’s time to lean in and lean on. Allow Him to help us through the unwanted with His Word, prayer, and through others who come alongside us.

Let’s finally release our wants and grab onto His.

Linking words with Crystal’s #HeartEncouragement