It is God Who Brings The Rain: Frustrated in your circumstances? Why hasn't the dream happened? Yes, me too.

"But time and chance happened to them all," (Ecc. 9:11)

This morning, I watched a nice fall rain pour into my backyard.  It was soothing and pleasing.  Our dry grounds need it.

I caught a few rain drops in this image...

                                     

I looked back to my reading in Ecclesiastes 9, and stumbled upon today's Scripture verse.

"The race is not to the swift

or the battle to the strong,

nor does food come to the wise

or wealth to the brilliant

or favor to the learned; 

but time and chance happen to them all."

Ecclesiastes 9:11

I find this passage of Scripture affirming because for all my efforts successful or not, it reminds me that there is a greater One who is in charge of it everything.  It reminds me that the dreams of my heart that have come to fruition as well as the ones that have not, all of them lay in the hands of God. And if He sees fit, they will occur.

"The mere possession of speed, strength, wisdom, cleverness, and skill does not in itself guarantee success.  We cannot bulldoze our way through life, " (J. Stafford Wright*).  Wright goes on to say that there are proper times for each action and we must continue "to use our gifts in the light of what we think the future will bring."

As I watched the rains hit the ground, a thought occurred to me.

It is God who brings the rain, not I.  

There is no way that Candice can make or force the clouds to rain, but it is only God, His power, plan and will.  There is much comfort in that because I find myself continually frustrated by the "make it happen" push our world speaks.  There are so many major things I'd like to achieve, but absolutely can't on my own.  While I might be a catalyst, far be it from me to poof! bam! voilà! it's done!  Granted there are plenty of things that poof, bam and voilà can pertain to... but when it involves others, their thoughts, decisions, and a team full of efforts, the notion of "make it happen" can and is very much out of my hands.

It has been a huge struggle to leave my dreams in the hands of God.  I am really good at saying, "Ok, thanks for the surge of energy, I'm going to take it back and go try to get er' done." Swipe! There I go taking the dream again out of God's hands.  Then there was the season I just left it there.  It was peaceful until I got frustrated with that too.  So on again and off again it has been.  In His hands, out of His hands, back in His hands, back out.  Ugh.  Know the feeling?

I think we'd all admit waiting is INCREDIBLY HARD.  Whenever I have to wait on something or someone, I get really fidgety.  I can't just stand around waiting, I feel like I have to do something! So what do I do?

I find myself doing stupid stuff.  Or I find myself depressed and saddened about the situation.  Or I find myself being idle and in denial.  Or I go try to make something happen on my own.  But it's when I find myself doing the two things that will actually get me somewhere is when I find progress.

It's when I worship and prepare that I find peace.  It's when I look to God and say, "here you go" that I can trust Him to take it and do something with it.  I know that if it is meant to be He'll make it happen.  I lay down my desires and trust in His.  Then, I prepare.  I seek where He wants me and work where I feel called.  Typically, it's to go back to my drawing board and tighten the loose holes.

It's kind of like Noah preparing for the flood.  It took the man 140 years to build the ark for an event that had never happened before.  These people had never seen rain.  So, picture this older gentlemen building and building for an event that no one has ever heard of.  Can you imagine the ridicule?  The disbelief?  What about his own doubts, fears, struggles?  These aren't mentioned in the Bible, but since he was technically human, it seems like he'd face some of these.

But what do we find?  We find this aged man striving in his belief in God, worshiping by preparing; continually chipping away at the ark, building it one wood log at a time.

                                          www.rabbimoffic.com


So, if you struggle with a dream and are at the end (or way beyond the end) of your rope, just lay your dream down upon God's altar and see what happens.  Some dreams may end there.  Some dreams may begin there.  Either which way, there is an acceptance of what God wants over what you want.  This exchange is key, for it is the difference in striving against a dead end, versus peacefully and joyfully progressing through life.  Continue to worship and prepare one wood log at a time and see where He leads you.

For it is only God who brings the rain.  It maybe different how you imagine, but if it is meant to happen, it will happen.  Rest in this acceptance and find the peace to persevere. 

                                          www.digitaltrends.com




Content and First Photo © 2013 Candice Irion. All Rights Reserved.
* (Wright, J. Stafford. The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Vol. 5.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.)

Unless the Father has Enabled Them

Today's topic is difficult.  In Granddad's famous words: "Ask me how I know."  

When there is a sticky situation, I'm the type that tackles it head on. Others might take the passive route and never deal with it.  Or, then there is the middle of the road, which observes the situation and strategizes on how to handle it.  This could be the wisest choice for it has balance.  

Pressing a topic is like beating a dead horse, which is another one that is in my wheelhouse.  Others are keen on just letting things go.  Not me.  Again, balance (without the dead horse) is probably advised.

So when it came to this morning's Scripture reading, I was amazed at Christ's stance.  John 6 shares about one of Christ's greatest ministry moments, the feeding of the five thousand.  What a highlight on the newsreel of that day.  I can hear the announcer now: "Five thousand fed with just five small barley loaves of bread and two small fish. What a miracle!" Just after that, Christ met up with the disciples and shared the famous message on how He is the true bread of life. Another highpoint.  Then we go low.  Real low.

In the remainder of Christ's preaching at the synagogue in Capernaum, He issues statements as: "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."  Then, He goes even further. "Your forefathers ate manna and died, but He who feeds on this bread will live forever."  And that was the tipping point, friends. Jesus’ audience was doing everything but cheering Him on.  

In fact, they split.  "Does this offend you?" Christ inquired of His disciples. He knew that this message was hard to accept; causing some to toss out their faith as they left the synagogue.  So what did the Son of all-powerful God do?  

Nothing.  He just let them go.

Hold the phone a moment.  He let them go?  Here we have Christ who has all the power in the world at His fingertips and all the ability to wisely say something that would have them stay and He choose to watch them leave. Really?

Yes.  He didn't press the issue further.  He didn't beat a dead horse. He didn't barricade the doors and say: "Stop! Don't do it!"  He didn't try to further debate them.  He simply let them go.

This blows my mind.  I can't stand watching someone go to their own devices and be on a path of self-destruction.  I am frequently compelled to get on their path and press and press and press until I can corral them back to safer pastures.  "Don't go this way! It will lead to X, Y and Z," I’ll proclaim. But, most often, the person doesn't take my word for it, pushes their stylish blinders back on their face and continues down their path.  AGH! How defying and sad!  I just don't get it.  Then I muster up more energy and stamina to try to get in front of them again.  "Don't do it! Stop!" I beg.  I show Scripture.  I lay out what the rest of their lives will potentially be.  I do everything but pack their own bags for them, and at that, I'd like to stuff their suitcases.  But guess what?  They just shrug their shoulders at me and continue to go their own merrily way. AGH! AGH! AGH!  If you're with me, let's say it together. AGGGGGHHHHHGHGH!

But then I read two Scriptures that change my battle plan all together. 

Romans 1:28 "...since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved min, to do what out not to be done." 

John 6:65: “…no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.”

Hm.  

I drum my fingers on the table.  

I exhale.  

I sigh.  

I kick my leg back.  

I realize.  

There is only one Holy Spirit and it’s not me. 

Pressing can result in the other person becoming:

a) irritated (likely)

b) distant (also likely)

c) defensive (you betcha)

d) thankful that you helped correct the error of their ways (Family Fued Buzzer Sound-ERRRR!  No.  Possible, but not likely). 

Let’s face it.  People make their own choices and it’s our God given right to do so.  That’s the example God established in the beginning when His own creation stumbled into their own deprivation.  While He could cross the line, He doesn’t.  So why should we?  He allows us to make our own choices and we must do the same for others.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t intervene.  For some situations, we must intervene.  We have a responsibility to help positively influence what is going on.  We also have a responsibility to prayerfully discern how to go about it. In addition, we have a responsibility to know when to stop the alarm and/or stop the help for we are not their enablers.  Only God is.  If we enable others, it only leads them further down their happy, skippy path.

This is also not to say that we should give up on people.  We should never give up on people (hard as that may be). 

What I am saying is that we all come to a point where the person has to make their own choice and we have to back off and allow them to think for themselves.  That’s why God gave them their own brain, not a clone of ours.

While there are some situations where a person is completely incapable of doing this in their own mind and strength and we must take action, we also can’t treat every person in every situation across the board in this manner.  We have to discern how to let folks go.

But, wait… there is hope.  Look back at John 6:65:  “unless the Father has enabled them.”  There is proof in the pudding that not only does God let people go, but that it is in His wheelhouse to pursue that one sheep of 99 who has strayed away and bring them home.  How many times did he go get idolatrous Israel out of the woods?  We know it is the Father’s joy when His people finally say: “I want to come home.”  And like many fathers, He won’t let this runaway get on the bus out of town without being far from them.  In fact, He’s with them the whole way.  There is comfort in that.

Many of us can attest to this very moment in our own lives.  That moment of “I just want to come home, Dad” is easily recalled.  It’s our moment of surrender and it came in our own time.   Thus, we can’t force another person’s moment of surrender.  We can’t chide them into it and we certainly shouldn’t cheat them out of it.  This is their moment; the one where they will look back and see God on their road.  It is when they accept their call for themselves that we cannot and never should do for them because then it isn’t real for them.  This is their story, their point of redemption, their testimony.  Let us not touch it.  It is between them and our Heavenly Father.

And if we claim to be anything like our Heavenly Father, we must give others the benefit of patientially waiting for them as we pray for them. 

In the end, prayer is all we can do.  Furthermore, that’s what Christ choose to do to. 

p.s....

I should also mention my Grandmother's famous words...  

Let go and let God.  

Let Him do His work, for we know NOTHING COMES BACK VOID.  He will fulfill His purposes in His own way.   

“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it,” (Isaiah 55:11 NIV).

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose,” (Philippians 2:13).

“The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever--- do not abandon the works of your hands,” (Ps. 138:8).

© 2013 Candice Irion.  All Rights Reserved.