I love to go out. There’s something about tossing aside my comfy T-shirt (or lately, sweatshirt) in favor of my cutest fashions, accessorizing, and freshening up my make-up so I’m all ready to go somewhere. The worst thing that can happen at that point is for a kid to get sick, the babysitter to fall through, or to get a call that changes all my plans. There I am: all dressed up with nowhere to go.
I think God has been trying to teach me a lesson lately. First, we put our house on the market. Oh, how we worked to get out home spic and span with the perfect staging, lighting, fragrances—no easy feat when you house three children and two dogs! The time came and we stood poised with snacks and comment forms.
…And the time went--with no lookers at all. It felt like we threw a party but no one came.
That same week, Evidence experienced another set-back with our CD recording project. This was a session which had been on our calendar for over a month. We had our charts ready, parts rehearsed, babysitters set up—we were all “dressed up and ready.” And then the plans got majorly changed and it was out of our control.
…And the time went--with no lookers at all. It felt like we threw a party but no one came.
That same week, Evidence experienced another set-back with our CD recording project. This was a session which had been on our calendar for over a month. We had our charts ready, parts rehearsed, babysitters set up—we were all “dressed up and ready.” And then the plans got majorly changed and it was out of our control.
Three truths come to mind:
1. SEEK HIM FIRST.
Proverbs 3:6 tells us: “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Other versions say, “…He will make your path straight.” Sometimes we get a little ahead of God in our lives. We make our plans thinking because He hasn’t put up obvious roadblocks, we must be in His Will. So we put on our best dress, the perfect shade of lipstick, and skip ahead down the path we’ve chosen for ourselves because it looks straight to our eyes. I don’t believe the path God has for us is always a free and easy road without bumps or curves—however, He does say He will make it plain to us when we seek Him first.
2. GIVE OUR BEST.
Secondly, it’s not a waste to get all dressed up (I’m speaking figuratively). In fact, Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.” God wants us to give our very best to everything He has us do. We should always be ready and prepared—this is God-honoring!
3. WAIT ON HIM.
Lastly, even when we have been diligent to seek God’s will, AND we have done our very best to get ourselves ready for the task at hand, sometimes we must also learn PATIENCE.
It’s the old adage: “Lord, teach me patience and please hurry!” Think of the Old Testament stories of Abraham, who was 100 years old before God gave him the son he longed for; of Joseph, who spent 15 years unjustly accused in prison before God raised him to 2nd in command over all of Egypt; of Job, who lost everything you could imagine before God restored to him twice as much as he had in the first place.
Whatever our calling, we must patiently endure, and continue to do the work even if we occasionally find ourselves “all dressed up with nowhere to go.”
Seek Him first, give our best, and wait on Him—He is ultimately preparing us for the biggest party of all, when we’ll be all dressed up in His righteousness. And those duds are fine. ;-)
Grace and peace,
Becky
Proverbs 3:6 tells us: “Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Other versions say, “…He will make your path straight.” Sometimes we get a little ahead of God in our lives. We make our plans thinking because He hasn’t put up obvious roadblocks, we must be in His Will. So we put on our best dress, the perfect shade of lipstick, and skip ahead down the path we’ve chosen for ourselves because it looks straight to our eyes. I don’t believe the path God has for us is always a free and easy road without bumps or curves—however, He does say He will make it plain to us when we seek Him first.
2. GIVE OUR BEST.
Secondly, it’s not a waste to get all dressed up (I’m speaking figuratively). In fact, Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.” God wants us to give our very best to everything He has us do. We should always be ready and prepared—this is God-honoring!
3. WAIT ON HIM.
Lastly, even when we have been diligent to seek God’s will, AND we have done our very best to get ourselves ready for the task at hand, sometimes we must also learn PATIENCE.
It’s the old adage: “Lord, teach me patience and please hurry!” Think of the Old Testament stories of Abraham, who was 100 years old before God gave him the son he longed for; of Joseph, who spent 15 years unjustly accused in prison before God raised him to 2nd in command over all of Egypt; of Job, who lost everything you could imagine before God restored to him twice as much as he had in the first place.
Whatever our calling, we must patiently endure, and continue to do the work even if we occasionally find ourselves “all dressed up with nowhere to go.”
Seek Him first, give our best, and wait on Him—He is ultimately preparing us for the biggest party of all, when we’ll be all dressed up in His righteousness. And those duds are fine. ;-)
Grace and peace,
Becky
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