Some times, in certain situations, I have felt like this: God has placed me here to face these things and I need to figure out how to navigate my way through this terrain. If someone had to ask me: do you believe that God brings you into a situation and then leaves you to it? My immediate answer, would be, no! Emphatically, no. Why? Because my theology tells me, He is with me always, He will never leave me. Additionally my experience has been that Holy Spirit helps me daily. So if I believe that He will never leave me then I cannot also sometimes believe He will leave me. So there appears to be a pothole on this road because my belief clearly does not, in every situation, translate into faith that says: where He has placed me, there He is with me EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY, ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.
One of the most wonderful things about my Father God is that He knows all things, He knows what was, what is and what is to come. When He calls me into a certain season, He knows exactly what the path is like, the ups and downs, the twists and turns, it is impossible for my all-knowing God to be surprised. So, when I hit the boulders on the road, I may be surprised but He is not. I have to remind myself of this, dare I say, glaringly obvious fact! Why? Because I have sometimes found myself contending in prayer for things that I feel are right to contend for but I also feel I have to work to get God's agreement on it. The latter part of that statement is a pothole in my mentality, which in turn governs how I approach God in prayer (trying to convince Him), leading to frustration and ultimately hopelessness.
I am learning that when I lock into a need in my midst, e.g. I sense someone's need to be valued because they lack revelation of who they are to God and in God; the very fact that God has placed me within discerning proximity of that person (nothing is random in the Kingdom of God) means that He already wants to meet that need. Here is my pothole filler: I do not have to convince Him to meet the need, I do not have to plead or pray with an attitude that says, You're just not hearing me because I don't see You doing anything (this very second). I'm realising that the very thing I'm asking Him for, on behalf of someone else, or even myself, is the very thing He desires to give me. He brought me into this situation because He has equipped me with the discernment to gauge the need and meet it, through co-labouring with Him. Father God is confident that I will turn to Him when I get to the twist in the road I didn't see coming, I will see the need and in faith, I will ask Him for help. This gives me such a peace when I do ask! I hope it does the same for you.
Why ask if He already knows what is needed? Father God invites us to ask. As a man on earth, Jesus pioneered an intimate, deep, loving and fulfilling relationship with Father God, out of that He fulfilled His beautiful purpose: to reconcile us with His Dad, Who is our Dad. Jesus tore open the curtain to that secret place He had with His Dad so we could enter into the same intimacy. What He has with Abba, we also have: an invitation to approach Him with confidence! We aren't coming before a God who wants us to perform in prayer or convince Him of our needs rather we have a compassionate, loving Father who is waiting for us to talk to Him about whatever is going on...and once we're done talking about our part, we wait for Him to speak. In the dialogue, an exchange happens: we receive beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, a garment of praise instead of heaviness. That's good news!
This leads me to: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thess 5:16-18
Rejoice always: He has overcome the world for us, once for all, there's nothing to be afraid of.
Pray without ceasing: in faith, with peace and confidence that He knows those prayers you are going to pray: He will equip you with the words through Holy Spirit. He is able and willing to answer those prayers in His appointed time.
In everything give thanks: knowing He has you in the palm of His hand and He is aware of every detail of your life and the circumstances surrounding you: He who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).
Let us approach our Father with peace and confidence, rejoicing in His abiding presence, in the full knowledge that He cares deeply for each of us and has confidence in us to call on Him, wherever the road holds, He will help us navigate it.
