God's will for a Turkey
Unlike this blog, prayer is a funny thing. Pray for patience, and an alligator eats your legs off to help you slow down. Pray for more gluten in your diet, and you become a glutton. That's why I always pray for whatever winning lottery numbers my horoscope predicts. I figure that way if I don't strike it rich, I can curse God for making me the wrong astrological sign.
Okay, so none of that is true, but you can't handle the truth. Actually, lately I have been praying a lot for God's will. God's will is a tough thing. My questions is always how do I know if it is actually God's will or my will? You know what I mean? Say I am trying to decide between a carrot and an apple and I pray for God's will, somehow I think God is going to want me to have a double cheeseburger. That's why I don't waste "God's will" prayers on the little things.
My real struggle is usually when I pray for God's will, I already have Tom's will in mind. If I am praying for God's will but secretly have what I want to happen in mind, aren't I praying for my will? It's tough to tell the difference sometimes. I heard an explanation one day that seemed to make sense until my Bible study teacher at the time shot some holes in theory. What did he know anyway? The explanation one friend gave me was that if it was actually His will, God had a way of opening doors so it would happen. Conversely, if it wasn't His will, doors tended to close. It made sense to me and seemed to play out perfectly one time in my life.
Almost exactly 5 years ago, I was praying for God's will about a very big decision for me and my Family. I was being blessed with a promotion in my workplace that would end up in a relocation to either Denver or Dallas. We had never been to either place so we just prayed for God's will. My boss at the time flew my family and I out to Denver and it was incredible. It was beautiful and after a couple of days there, we were convinced that it was God's will that we would be in Denver. We got back from our trip and I was ready to tell my boss we were ready for Denver, and then doors started closing all around me. I'm not going to lie, it was very disappointing. More accurately...it stunk!
To clarify, it stunk...at the time it was happening. We actually "settled" on Dallas (thanks for nothing God!) and had what turned out to be 3.5 of the best years of our lives. We wouldn't have traded the friends we met, our Church, or the times we had for anything. It seemed God knew what we wanted, but He opened doors to something so much better.
So here I am five years later, praying again for God's will. Surprise surprise it again involves a possible relocation. In the words of the The Clash, "Rock the Casbah" I mean... "Should I stay or should I go?" And if I go, where??? Well we loved Dallas so hoped to possibly get back there. We also really liked what we saw of Denver and considered that an option. While there was a possible opportunity in Dallas there really wasn't anything in Denver. Again, God, your will not mine. The opportunity in Dallas went away and an opportunity in Denver mysteriously (and very quickly) opened up. So...my faithful blog readers...I thought I'd share it with you before even some of my own family, but yesterday I accepted a job in the state where the beer flows like wine. If nothing else, you've got to appreciate God's sense of humor and his reminders that we are on his time and not vice-versa! Happy turkey day turkeys!
Okay, so none of that is true, but you can't handle the truth. Actually, lately I have been praying a lot for God's will. God's will is a tough thing. My questions is always how do I know if it is actually God's will or my will? You know what I mean? Say I am trying to decide between a carrot and an apple and I pray for God's will, somehow I think God is going to want me to have a double cheeseburger. That's why I don't waste "God's will" prayers on the little things.
My real struggle is usually when I pray for God's will, I already have Tom's will in mind. If I am praying for God's will but secretly have what I want to happen in mind, aren't I praying for my will? It's tough to tell the difference sometimes. I heard an explanation one day that seemed to make sense until my Bible study teacher at the time shot some holes in theory. What did he know anyway? The explanation one friend gave me was that if it was actually His will, God had a way of opening doors so it would happen. Conversely, if it wasn't His will, doors tended to close. It made sense to me and seemed to play out perfectly one time in my life.
Almost exactly 5 years ago, I was praying for God's will about a very big decision for me and my Family. I was being blessed with a promotion in my workplace that would end up in a relocation to either Denver or Dallas. We had never been to either place so we just prayed for God's will. My boss at the time flew my family and I out to Denver and it was incredible. It was beautiful and after a couple of days there, we were convinced that it was God's will that we would be in Denver. We got back from our trip and I was ready to tell my boss we were ready for Denver, and then doors started closing all around me. I'm not going to lie, it was very disappointing. More accurately...it stunk!
To clarify, it stunk...at the time it was happening. We actually "settled" on Dallas (thanks for nothing God!) and had what turned out to be 3.5 of the best years of our lives. We wouldn't have traded the friends we met, our Church, or the times we had for anything. It seemed God knew what we wanted, but He opened doors to something so much better.
So here I am five years later, praying again for God's will. Surprise surprise it again involves a possible relocation. In the words of the The Clash, "Rock the Casbah" I mean... "Should I stay or should I go?" And if I go, where??? Well we loved Dallas so hoped to possibly get back there. We also really liked what we saw of Denver and considered that an option. While there was a possible opportunity in Dallas there really wasn't anything in Denver. Again, God, your will not mine. The opportunity in Dallas went away and an opportunity in Denver mysteriously (and very quickly) opened up. So...my faithful blog readers...I thought I'd share it with you before even some of my own family, but yesterday I accepted a job in the state where the beer flows like wine. If nothing else, you've got to appreciate God's sense of humor and his reminders that we are on his time and not vice-versa! Happy turkey day turkeys!
excellent......
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Congrats on the new adventure ahead of you and your family! We are right there with you on the "God's Will" thing. Looking back, we have only been blessed by our choices(His Will).
Peace
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