Lessons From My Own Lessons

On occasion, I write a post about lessons I learn from everyday circumstances, items or even domestic animals. Today, it seemed a post I wrote back in the first week of this year kept replaying in my head. The thing was, I forgot I had written it. I had to go back before beginning this post to see if I actually had written it, or if it was some kind of blog deja vu kind of thing. Or maybe I'm just getting old and can't remember what I've forgotten.

What was I saying?

Oh yeah. Anyway, I probably ought to print that one out and pin it on a wall or my bathroom mirror or something. You see, the past month or so has been pretty stressful for me. OK, this year hasn't been a walk in the park, but the past month or so has been especially difficult in its own way. But I'm reminded of my own words from lessons I've had to learn that God sometimes doesn't reveal Himself until after what Hollywood would have chosen for that miracle moment. In ways which define logic and understanding, God has provided for me enough to get through the moment. Not in my timing, but in His.

If you go back and read the post to which I alluded earlier, I used an analogy of a dog left alone with several days of food. I suppose it's possible to train a dog to only eat enough for today, and budget what was left for him in daily increments. I think God is trying to teach me the same principle. In fact, I think God may be teaching our generation this quality. We have lived in prosperous times for quite awhile. I remember the confidence and pride I felt walking into the mall knowing I could buy just about anything in the building if I wanted. Sometimes I'd just walk around with my money just burning a hole in my pocket waiting to be spent. If something caught my eye, it was mine.

These days are not like those days. I've had to sacrifice a lot of wants to make sure my needs are taken care of. God is good to remind us that He is our sufficiency. God is good to remind us that only He can provide for us according to His riches and glory. Wall Street can't do it. The government can't do it. My job can't do it.

Once again, I was chosen to lead the song Great Is Thy Faithfulness this past Sunday morning. Once again, it was at a time when, if nobody else needed the reminder, I did. I knew all week I would be doing that song. All week I prayed that I would look to Him and thank Him for His great faithfulness in my life. I prayed that through it all, I would be found faithful as well.

This week, I have been blessed. God is giving me what I need to get through this week. We'll deal with next week when it comes. I need to be faithful to budget what God puts in my bowl so it will see me through, and not get the urge to pig out and have nothing left tomorrow.

Hopefully this lesson is truly learned, and I can trust Him without first stressing out about what I see. Faith is trusting in what I cannot see. I want to be a man of great faith, not stress.