Delayed with a Purpose – In His Word 9-16-13

Today I woke up late, because I had awoken early. I got started off kilter and it seemed like dominoes that were set up to fall in a line but with one or two off space from the others. I tried to push through because I realized that wet laundry in the bottom of the basket of dry clothes was just that, wet. I could put it in the dryer and continue with the day.

I made an attempt at explaining to someone who was running on their own path in another direction and so we just missed one another. All would be well I had my Bible sitting on the coffee table waiting for me, I grabbed my morning beverage and sat on the comfy couch and began reading what I expected to be my quick Monday Morning Read before studying for this article I write on Mondays. The word was from the book of Jeremiah in the first few chapters. It was gripping and rather annoyingly long at the same time. I realized it was good for me to see this particular spot as it chronicled the many reasons God was about to 'get' the people He loved and went on to share how much He loved them.

Can someone do this? I wondered; love and want to utterly punish someone making their life miserable at the same time? I thought on this and read on. I saw how much God loved and forgave Israel and Judah so many times and so much that He was now warning them to clean up their acts or get whats coming to them. Time slipped by and I finally finished my many pages of reading in time to check emails and say “hi” to my distant family members. Then it was time to go! I hurried out the door and down the street, around the corner came my first delay. The neighborhood was backed up?

They were fixing a repaired road from
yesterday's broken water main. I turned and made my way around the traffic only to stop at the next traffic light, and the next two. I was finally getting near the freeway and was reminded of a person I was supposed to be picking up. Oops, I forgot! "Okay Lord, thank you for that delay, I would have been to the school by now if I had not been slowed this far."

Around the corner came more delays and we barely got the kids to school on time. I sat in the car a few moments thinking of all I had to do still this day and breathed a word of thanks to God.

We cannot always see the reason we are slowed, often times there is an accident or two, that get in our way miles before we reached the spot we would have been in the middle of when the crash happened. It could have been us.

Just because all those things got in my way it was not a reason to be a jerk, or yell at anyone. I could have been a brat, but instead I chose to look to God and know that there was a reason in it. I could sit and cry about the wet laundry but instead I chose to throw them in the dryer and take care of the situation. I had to remind myself to stop being upset and make the choice to rejoice!

So how can we do this all the time? Or can we?

Well first we can stop what we are doing; stop complaining, stop whining, stop being selfish.

It's not about me. Go ahead say it out loud, “It's not about me!'

Then make the choice to accept that obstacle as from the Lord.

Its about His purpose, His direction and His path laid out for us today.

It is not always easy to do this step; it's often impossible to do alone, but with God all things are possible.

Remind yourself with a quick prayer to God to give you direction who you are following.

I am reminded now of playing follow the leader with very small children. They don't quite get it all the time and sometimes one or two will start a new path which often ends up in a bad way. Our days are the same. We sometimes need to be delayed in order to get the right attitude on to go through the rest of the day. If I had not decided it was not about me that it was about God I would have been annoyed all day and probably caused a major confrontation in my life that would have ended badly. Before I changed my attitude I was ready for battle, flesh-me was putting up my dukes!

The spirit was willing but the flesh was weak.

Thank God the flesh was weak, in this case God pushed through and the Holy Spirit was heard as I stopped at another light and accepted aloud that it was God's plan slowing me.

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23

So once you have accepted that He has planned or ordered our steps then we need to follow the path with peacefulness, not worry, not stressful reactions but with calmness of attitude and prayer.

Once we realize God has a reason, even if we never see it; He will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him. So we must keep our mind out of the trash bin of emotions and into the comfort of His arms.

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

Instead I chose to trust Him to do all that I can't see Him doing to make my way straight. Sounds like my favorite scripture; Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own understanding in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. He will direct our paths when we remember to keep our focus off of our selfish self, and onto His perfect will and desire for our lives.

It is not about me! It is not about you either! It is about doing His will, His timing is perfect.

As we go through today we will find many hurdles, bushes and rocks in our way; especially if you made the choice to follow Jesus' directions not selfish desires today. The enemy wants us to cause trouble so he will be dropping boulders left and right trying to cause us to stumble so we can remind ourselves how rotten a day it is. God has overcome this enemy and so can we because God is on our side!

 Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the signs to expect delays today. Thank you that you can give us direction and peace when we remember to look to you in all our situations. Thank you for stopping me from being a jerk today! Help us all to keep the peace that comes from you. 

In Jesus name. Amen. 

Suggested Reading: 2 Corinthians 13:1-14, Psalm 37:1-40, Isaiah 26:1-21, and Zephaniah 3:1-20