Consequences are His

"Wait on Him to bring victory, knowing that the consequences of your obedience are His problem and not yours." --Moore
Good morning! I hope you are having a great week, and looking forward to the weekend ahead. The above quote struck me this morning. I actually had to re-read it just to assure myself that I hadn't misunderstood. I've often heard people say in a heated discussion: "that's your problem." I have never thought about saying that to God! After taking a moment to process what the quote is saying, I calmed down, realizing it wasn't worded in a rude tone. Beth Moore is simply stating that our obedience is not conditional upon what the consequences may be. Far too often our faith is lacking, and we sometimes forget that God knows what He is doing. I have caught myself on many occassions questioning if God is aware of the whole situation...and if so, is He aware of how it may turn out if I move forward. Silly, I know--questioning God is ludicrous! Of course He knows what He is doing. He can see my every action before I act, and He sees how far those actions will ripple, long before I was formed in my mother's womb. If God were to tell my husband and I to quit our jobs, in these economic times, I need to obey. By the consequences of my obedience being in His hands, and knowing they are in His hands, I am having faith that His plans will far better me than my current situation.
God does not wish for His children to suffer; He wishes to show gracy, mercy, and good will towards us. That doesn't mean that our suffering cannot bring us joy in the midst of pain, and that walking through the valley cannot cause us to grow and be better rounded--realizing on a deeper level our need of Him.
My mother said something today that perfectly ties in with this blog. Her sister, my Aunt, is in her 3rd marriage. After her first fell apart, she remarried an evil man. He was incredibly abusive, even threatening her middle-school aged son (my cousin). Every time she would save up a little money and make plans to leave, he would find out, and put her in the hospital. At one point, my mother took pictures of her injuries--proof, so that if anything happened to her, we could nail this man in court.
By God's grace, a man who worked with her was able to help her out financially. He gave her money so that she could get out of her situation, and be safe...far away from her husband. Her husband, after years, finally signed the divorce papers, and the gentlemen who had helped her out financially, her knight in shining armor, fell in love with her and married her. Last night, my mother and her two sisters got together to celebrate a birthday. This morning I asked my mom how it had been, and I asked how Lisa was doing in her new marriage. My mom responded, "She is grateful for the sadness in her life and the sweet blessing of now being with Ken."
It is not easy to look back on pain, especially the kind my dear Aunt went through, but how she must appreciate her blessings all the more now!
"Lord, according to Your Word, even when five sparrows were sold for two pennies, not one of them was forgotten by You. Indeed, the very hairs of my head are all numbered. Help me never to be afraid; I am worth far more to You than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7) Your anger lasts only a moment, Lord, but Your favor lasts a lifetime; weeping my remain for a night, but how I thank You that rejoicing comes in the morning." (Ps. 30:5)
It has been a few weeks since I posted a song, but the lyrics (I know, I say this all the time) are perfect for this blog. And they are words of encouragement for anyone going through trials.
"Do you wonder why you have to feel the things that hurt you,
If there's a God who loves you, where is He now?
Or maybe there are things you can't see, and all the things that are happening,
Will bring a better ending. Someday, somehow you'll see, you'll see.
Hold on, there's good for those who love God. And life is not a snapshot,
It might take a little time, but you'll see the bigger picture.
Once you feel the weight of glory, all your pain will fade to memory.
Would you dare, would you dare to believe, that you still have a reason to sing?
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling can't compare to the joy that's coming!
And hold on, you've gotta wait for the light, press on and just fight the good fight,
'Cause the pain that you've been feeling
Is just the hurt before the healing
Just the dark before the morning
It can't compare to the joy that's coming." --Josh Wilson
I pray that my Aunt can be a testament to that. Praise God for promising us joy in the morning!
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

--Inspired by, "Praying God's Word," Beth Moore.