Trusting God’s Purpose

In my last blog, I recounted how God had other plans for me following the loss of my job of 22 years. A part of His plan included my spending more time not only studying God’s word, but in pursuing a deeper relationship with Him and with Jesus Christ.

At the Rising over the past several months, we’ve been spending time in Romans. This past Sunday’s message from Romans 4 really resonated with me. Paul references Abraham, the father of us all, and how he followed God’s direction, left Ur and Haran for an unknown destination and trusted God with his future.

I am not worthy to be counted alongside Abraham’s righteousness, but I do know that God has been walking alongside me as I stepped out of my comfortable life last year into the unknown. Suddenly, we were forced to re-examine our life – could we make it on one paycheck? Did I still have worth when I was no longer contributing financially? Was this a punishment, a raw deal as it were?

Could I trust God?

As it turns out, the answer was and is a resounding YES! God always has our best interests in mind!

One of first things He asked of me was prayer – lots of prayer. Prayers of thanksgiving, of petition, of guidance. Prayers for my husband. Prayers for my family. Prayers for guidance and wisdom. Prayers where I shared my fears, my feelings. Long prayers, short prayers. Discernment isn’t one of my spiritual giftings, but I prayed deeply to recognize His voice and make decisions accordingly.

God also asked for faithfulness from me. To not only accept His plan for me, but to be patient and trusting without knowing any of the details of His plan. Faithfulness in God’s provision for our family and the strength to not just endure, but live in joy of my salvation through Jesus.

Over this past year, my relationship with God has deepened so much. He’s shown me the many gifts He’s given me and helped me become a better steward of them. He’s helped me recognize my husband’s heart and become a better and more gracious partner.  He’s opened my own heart once again, and impressed upon me the need to take more of a stand in my faith. While I’m not an evangelist, I’m finding it so much easier to talk to people about Jesus’ love, to offer to pray for them, and share the good news of Jesus’s love, death and resurrection for us.

Thank you, Heavenly, Father, for showing me renewed purpose in a new path!

All my love,

Sally