Recently, there have been some set of circumstances that are outside of my control. Some things I just cannot change. I'm not sure about you, but when things don't go my way I am not a happy camper. I only realized this after finding out things that I couldn't change- I used to pride myself on always saying "Lord willing" or "All in God's timing". Sure I said those things and they are true, but the Lord knew where my heart was and is now teaching me about those things. One of my previous roommates and I talk about this a lot. She's probably laughing at me right now... ;) So circumstances can be uncomfortable, or exciting, or unexpected, but I'm pretty sure that that is one of the main ways the LORD chooses to mold us into the person that we were created to be. It's crazy to think that 4 years ago I was a completely different person and how much the Lord has taught me since then. I look back and think about the circumstances that the Lord used to draw me closer to Him, to serve Him and to love Him. I would say that most of those circumstances I was not okay with. I didn't like them at all- even the dorm I lived in! But looking back that is just one example of how the Lord brought me closer to Him!
In addition to my dorm being one way that the Lord drew me in, was my involvement with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru). Looking back, I see close friends (now) that were warm and welcoming and cared about me, even though they barely knew me. I see the truth of God's Word come alive in Bible Studies on Tuesday nights at Starbucks. I see amazing community of truth and grace at our weekly meetings and of course, loads of fun.
I trust that the Lord will continue to use similar circumstances in other people's lives, but the Lord has placed a call on my life to be a part of this for His lost sheep. It's crazy to imagine the Lord's plan- none of us can fathom!- but to think that the LORD literally holds everything in His palm! While our calling or our blessings are nice for us- they are really meant for other people to receive and benefit from, and they probably don't know about it! Oswald Chambers depicts this in amazing ways, so I will just conclude with that...The Commission of the Call by Oswald Chambers
We make calls out of our own spiritual consecration, but when we get right with God He brushes all these aside, and rivets us with a pain that is terrific to one thing we never dreamed of, and for one radiant flashing moment we see what He is after, and we say - "Here am I, send me."
This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. God can never make us wine if we object to the fingers He uses to crush us with. If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way! But when He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, and makes those the crushers, we object. We must never choose the scene of our own martyrdom. If ever we are going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed; you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed.
I wonder what kind of finger and thumb God has been using to squeeze you, and you have been like a marble and escaped? You are not ripe yet, and if God had squeezed you, the wine would have been remarkably bitter. To be a sacramental personality means that the elements of the natural life are presenced by God as they are broken providentially in His service. We have to be adjusted into God before we can be broken bread in His hands. Keep right with God and let Him do what He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children....I want the Lord to use me as poured out wine- to serve others, to help reach His lost sheep. Please help do this for the Lord by joining my Ministry Partner Team! You can do that by clicking here and giving any amount that the Lord leads you to give.
~Until the whole world hears,
E
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