Overwhelmed: Trust – Careworn
I may be in the minority here, but one of the effects of the current pandemic has been a felt burden on my heart to take on too much responsibility. On the surface, this may sound counterintuitive. Afterall, the pandemic has relieved us of so much personal interaction that we certainly should be praying for God to provide us with opportunities to fill the void. The problem, at least in my case, was interpreting every opportunity presented me as God’s answer to my prayer. It took a while, but I eventually realized I was making a lot of plans while stressing over accomplishing them.
I believe that our God is a God of peace, but do I trust in what I believe? Could I step back and let Him turn the world instead of me, while I spent time exclusively with Him? I heard the words of Jesus calling me to a quiet place for some rest. During my sabbatical, I diligently prayed for God to speak very clearly to me concerning opportunities which have recently been presented to me.
In His infinite wisdom, God chose not to speak about any goals that I had on my heart. But, in His infinite love, God spoke with crystal clarity the words “Draw closer to Me”. Today, even though I have no idea what changes He’ll take me through going forward, I have the peace of knowing I’m simply called to go beyond belief and really trust that God’s plans are to prosper me. I’m called to press in closer to Him, listen to His voice, and follow Him. I’m called to set aside my “need” for control and let Him bear the burden of responsibility for my direction.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
