The Back of the Tapestry

 

Elisabeth Elliot ~" If you dwell on your own feelings about things rather than dwelling on the faithfulness, the love, and the mercy of God, then you're likely to have a terrible, horrible,  no good, very bad day. Our feelings are very fleeting and ephemeral,  aren't they? We can't depend on them for five minutes at a time. But dwelling on the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God is always safe."

God has been working on my heart in many ways this last year. It would take at least fifty books to do it all justice. Don't worry, I'm not about to share all of it. I want to highlight something that I have been reflecting on this week. A few days ago during my personal time with Jesus, I found this verse: 

“The Lord said to Abram: Go from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 CSB

I know I’m called to missions. I just don’t know where. I’m probably going to go to college. But I don’t know when or where. I want to know the answers so badly. I want to have the future mapped out in front of me. But I know that, 

“A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:9‬ ‭CSB‬‬

I know that the Lord’s plans are perfect. It’s just hard to trust sometimes I was praying that God would give me peace. There’s a reason God doesn’t let me see the whole picture. I know that what I see is like the back of a tapestry. A tangled mess of string. But God sees the other side. A beautifully woven picture. So I’m asking God to give me faith like Ruth, Esther, Abigail, David, Mary etc. I don't have what I need for the future yet for a very simple reason, I don't need it now! God will work everything for my good (in the end) and His glory.

This year I have been blown away by God's beauty. He is beyond description. The very fact that I am allowed to sit in His presence every single day is astounding. His attention to details continually blows me away. So why am I still afraid of the future when God says,

““Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:28-31 NLT

God does not promise that life will be easy. He promises... Well, the Bible says it better than I do.

“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬ ‭CSB

With God's help, I will learn to be content with the tangled up mess and trust that one day I will look back and see the beautiful story God has woven. 

I pray that this encourages you and that God will help you see His beauty and power as He has helped me. God bless!

“Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:12-14‬ ‭CSB‬‬