Bitter Sweet

yuckI wrote on January 6, “Well the 16 month waiting period has come and gone without God acting in the way I thought I heard. Thus, I was wrong. Am I bummed? Yes.” So I took a few weeks off from writing to figure out how I could have been so wrong. Does God speak to His children? Yes He does. Throughout Scripture God is repeatedly talking directly with His children. Thus, I was not wrong in believing He would speak to me. Jesus did say His sheep listen to His voice.
Where I went wrong, then, had to be in what I heard; and thus, I had to double down on listening better…or so I thought. No, I discovered I heard correctly. It was my half-baked obedience to what I knew He was asking of me that kept Him from acting.
As one brother wrote, “Ours and others’ free will often impacts on what God wants to do or not do. He works WITH us if we are yielded to Him to fulfill His will but if we are not yielded to Him…His will and desire cannot be fulfilled.”
Scripture records where God says He will do A, if we do B. For instance, He “A” gives us the right to become children of God if we “B” believe in what Jesus did for us (Jn. 1:2). There are other times, however, where God says He will do A regardless if anyone does anything at all. The Jewish people brought home to Israel is one such example (Ezek. 36).
In this case, I heard correctly what God would do. In being completely transparent, though, so we all can learn how to better listen and follow Jesus, I was less than wholeheartedly, and in some cases completely ignoring, the part God had me play.
The God I love, listen and attempt to follow, however, is a Redeemer, a God of second chances. I now I have a choice. I can keep swallowing the bitter pill of defeat or choose the sweet one of success. I’m choosing the later, how about you?
“S”et Free Nowww

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