Friday, December 28, 2012

Kickin' The Tires on 2012


It was the other day, as I was writing in my prayer journal, when I realized the error of my ways.  I foolishly thought that if I prayed over one word for an entire year, God would only show me one lesson connected with that word.  

God doesn't work like that.

What I  found was, when you pray about a problem, or an seek an answer to a question, or pray a word for 365 days,  well....you do find God alright.  
What I have found is ....that our creative God gives you exactly what you ask for, but in a more interesting and challenging way, let's call it a bigger and greater way.  

Because God is just that...Bigger and Greater.

When I said I was seeking "rest" for my one word for 2012, it seemed tiny in my mind.  I needed it desperately but to me it was a tiny matter none-the-less.  I really thought it would be one of those small blips on God's prayer radar.  In the scheme of all that I still need to learn about who God is, honestly, rest or the art of resting was not one of my top God-I need-an-answer-to-this-heart-issue, nor was it high on my spiritual priority list.  

I might have been just kickin' the tires on this one-word-a-year prayer idea.
So how did God teach me to rest?  He didn't.

When I sought Him for answers, He taught me to submit to His Sovereignty.
When I sought an end to my waiting, God taught me strength and a purpose in abiding.
When I sought truth, and God showed my sugar-coated well-digested lies.
When I sought a deeper faith, God showed me His faithfulness.
When I sought an awareness of His Presence, He taught me to be still and listen.
When I sought direction, God showed me His wisdom.
When I sought His strength, God peeled back the cover on my weaknesses.
When I sought His heart, God showed me the least of these in Africa.
When I sought His peace, God showed me my fears.
When I sought His light, He showed my darkness.
When I sought confidence, God showed me my pride.
When I sought action, God brought stillness.
When I sought freedom, God showed me my sin.  
When I sought understanding, God showed me to follow and obey.

I sought His love, God romanced me with His words.
I cried the word rest..so many times, with so many words and 
sometimes with no words, and with many tears.
God bent down and listened each time.

I made more room for rest in my life and God showed me the most Perfect Rest.
God deepened my trust for the One and Only True Rest.    

What did God teach you in 2012?


3 comments:

Carol said...

Congratulations on a wonderful, heartfelt year of blogging!

Mark said...

Great post!

Debbie said...

I asked Him to help me be a better steward of my money....boy did He ever...threw me a few curve balls...but I AM learning the lesson.