Joseph, Moses, David, Elijah... I have read about these men of God and have found that each of them went through a kind of training time...some of them for many, many years. And none of them were trained in easy circumstances; Joseph was a slave, Moses a fugative shepherd, David spent a few years running for his life from a crazy-man, and Elijah was exhiled and lived with a poor widow. God had a very specific purpose for each of them, a big purpose He needed them for, but first they had to learn how to trust Him. Joseph went on to be the second-in-command in Egypt and saved many lives during a famine; Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt (after Joseph was forgotten - the Egyptians decided to make the Israelites slaves, go figure), David became the greatest king Israel ever knew, and Elijah led the people away from their idols and back to the living God by standing up to a very, very bad Jezabeel. I won't go into more detail than that, but I strongly suggest you read about these things...no small feats, let me tell you. Anyway, none of them could have accomplished these things if they had not trusted God - if they had not learn to hear His voice.
I feel like I am being trained. This part of my life is wonderful in many ways, but I feel so uncertain of my future. I work at a job that makes me feel useless and very bored. I am a teacher, or at least I feel like that's what God has always called me to, but all those doors were shut, and God seems to be keeping them shut for now. From my first thoughts I've always felt that God had a big purpose for me, I have no idea what that is, but I believe He wants to use me to do something, so I am grateful for the training. I am grateful that I never have enough money, but that God ALWAYS provides; I am grateful I actually have a job, and I'm grateful I have the one God wants me to have...I will try to learn the lessons from this job He has for me. And I am so grateful that God sent me a trainer whom I call my husband - a man whose faith rarely waivers and a man who helps me see the forest and not just the trees.
God is teaching me that following Him is enough...it is enough.
I feel like I am being trained. This part of my life is wonderful in many ways, but I feel so uncertain of my future. I work at a job that makes me feel useless and very bored. I am a teacher, or at least I feel like that's what God has always called me to, but all those doors were shut, and God seems to be keeping them shut for now. From my first thoughts I've always felt that God had a big purpose for me, I have no idea what that is, but I believe He wants to use me to do something, so I am grateful for the training. I am grateful that I never have enough money, but that God ALWAYS provides; I am grateful I actually have a job, and I'm grateful I have the one God wants me to have...I will try to learn the lessons from this job He has for me. And I am so grateful that God sent me a trainer whom I call my husband - a man whose faith rarely waivers and a man who helps me see the forest and not just the trees.
God is teaching me that following Him is enough...it is enough.
That thing about Joseph being forgotten always made me sad inside. Its like, how many years past for you to forget one of your kings?! Idk...that was always so crazy to me.
You have a wonderful purpose Jodi!! You are gonna bring me closer to God and help me move forward in life!
Thank-you Desi, that means a lot to me. Joseph was not a king though, and I think it was like 400 years later.
Good thoughts... for all of us who aren't doing what we thought we would be doing at this point in our lives. I thought I would be teaching too...
I'm thankful that God does what He does to keep us relying on Him. If it was all as we planned we might assume we didn't need God.
E. G. White said, "Affliction and adversity bring disappointment and sorrow, but it is prosperity that is most dangerous to spiritual life." Ministry of Healing, p. 212.
xoxoxoxox
It is true that we think and ask of God why am I here when things aren't as planned. I look at the time spent in Michigan as my time of learning how to submit to God's plan and not my own, recognizing just how selfish I am and looking at the true big picture of his plan. Rough times also make us sometimes question God or think that life isn't fair and that He should do something. He is up to something, our salvation and the salvation of others who do not yet know him. We forget that the one we should be mad at is Satan. He is the one that takes away and makes life as we know it here harder than need be. It takes us being brought low that we can see clearer because we turn toward more fervent prayer and connection with God. we forget in the good times.