Over the last few months, I have wanted to write so much to you all. The journal by my bed is scribbled with notes, scriptures and random thoughts. I have tried to put them together in some sensible order as I prepared for this magazine.
God has been taking me on a journey of epic proportions. He has been purifying me of the dross in my life and holding me accountable for the faith that I have been professing for so many years. God has been refining and purging, de scaling and polishing, and holding me close to the furnace as He winnows my thought life, my speech, my attitudes and behavior. God has wanted to bring them all into line with what His ‘good and perfect will ‘ is for me. I have likened it to the intricate cleaning of my coffee machine. It has many small holes for the pressure of water to press the ground coffee through. From time to time, I need to purge these minute holes and the layers between the filter, to keep a nice even flow of coffee coming through. The steam is hot and it cleanses from deep within. If I don’t do this, there is a buildup of scale and the coffee drips and splutters out.
Did it hurt? Yes. Has He finished that which He started? I think not. Do I look forward to further refining ? Not really, but I trust God to do the things that are needed. My prayer is that I become clay in His mighty hands. That I be teachable, responsive and humble enough to let Him have His way in my life.
The scripture that is my focus for this magazine is close to my heart.
“For I know the thoughts and plans I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope and peace in your final outcome “
Jer 29 :11 (amp)
Remember, that God’s thoughts are not (our) thoughts, nor (our) ways His ways. Isa 55:8
And even when we do have our own plans the Word of God tells us that;
A Man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.
Proverbs 16:9
It is like that with our own children. We regularly make plans for them and they just have to trust us that we are doing something good for them. As parents, we are usually a step ahead of our children in planning things and weighing up consequences and preparing for outcomes. It is the same with God. He knew us before the beginning of time .
Psa 139:13 -17 For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb.
I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well.
My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
He has always had thoughts and plans that were going to be for our good. It is our job to let Him guide us.
It has been these verses that have sustained me as I have experienced difficult times, struggling with parenting issues, time pressures, tiredness and the business that goes with having a large family .
Job 42:2 says, "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plan.”
Do you believe this? Can our unbelief actually upset God’s plan? Do you and I try to make our own plans when we cannot see God at work in the way we would like Him to? ( Look what happened to Sarah while she waited for the fulfilling of God’s promise for a child). Is it wrong to make plans for ourselves? I don’t think so. The Word tells us to Seek first His kingdom, enquire of Him, seek diligently for the things of God. Trusting God to fulfill His plans in our lives may involve some waiting, but oftentimes it is not passive but can involve actively pursuing His plan through prayer, study, worship and some days, just putting one step in front of the other.
I love this verse;
Pro 16:1 The plans of the heart belong to man; But the answer of the tongue is from Jehovah.
How awesome is our God ladies, that we can put our full trust in Him and His plans for us? Listen to His voice.
Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and ) so shall your plans be established and succeed.
Proverbs 16:3
Joyce Meyer says that ;
“Trying to figure everything out before you obey God will steal your joy. God doesn’t have to answer you when you ask, “Why God, why?” Trust means that you won’t always have answers when you want them. Sometimes you just have to get to the other side of a situation to see the whole picture of what God is doing in your life.
God may be trying to separate you from some influence in your life that is keeping you from receiving the better plan He has for you. He may be “pruning” you to encourage new, healthier growth (see John 15: 1-8). Use uncertain times to demonstrate your faith by trusting Him.”
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