The way God sees it #39

And it's 3:20am right now. I've been having a tough time sleeping this week again. Oh, and I've come to the conclusion that blogging before bed actually does the opposite of what I wanted it to do- it keeps me up. But I love it, even though this is only my 3rd posting so far.

This past week, I've found myself continually reviewing Abraham's life. What faith! Not knowing hardly any details of what God's plan was for him and his family, he left Canaan in obedience to the Lord. All he knew was the promise that God had spoken to him in Gen. 12, which in God's grace, still applies to us today. On top of knowing very little about the in-betweens of God's plan, he never even saw the promise come to pass. Yet he did not waver in his faith. He knew the Promisor - His character, His nature. And that was all he needed to know. God always gives us what we need to know when we need to know it. Abraham was God's "yes man." He didn't argue when God told him to leave his homeland. He knew that his home was ultimately in a "better country" - eternity. He simply said, "yes, Lord." Faith and obedience. The father of our faith displayed such a picture of faith and obedience. This is all the Lord desires - that we believe who He has said He is, and obey. He's made it pretty simple. Unfortunately, I can sometimes make it a lot more difficult than this. But, I'm learning!

So, as I've been pondering Abraham's life over the past week, I realized that my faith has been put to the test. As I've been on a job search for the past 3 months, God has, in His perfect timing, positioned me somewhere!! It took up until, well, just now for me to honestly say that this was His perfect timing. My flesh fought against His timing in this process numerous times, but those that wait on the Lord will never be put to shame. And I am believing for His fame to spread within this cute little baby clothing shop that He has positioned me in. Here's where one aspect of my faith is being tested - do I believe in Jehovah Jireh? The pay for this job is what I was making as a teenager. So, what does this mean?? God gets to show off!! I can't wait for Him to provide for me financially in ways I never expected that will glorify Him. It makes no sense to me, or to the world for that matter, that a 27 year old woman with a college degree would take this job. And I struggled with this at first. I had another job paying twice as much that was a potential too. "Well, of course God would want to give me the higher paying job!" I thought. Although it's full-time, and I would have to lay down what He's calling me to in this season, it's the abundance of the Lord, right?? But here is what the Lord revealed to me. Here's the way God sees it #39 (Starbucks, you know, on their cups? Get it?): If I were to take the higher paying, full-time job, I would be settling for less than His best. Why, you ask? I would be giving up the things the Lord is calling me to right now that is preparing me for His call on my life in the future. To the world, I settled for this low-paying job. To the Lord, I am refusing the world's kingdom and coming into alignment with His. I feel His favor like never before. And I am believing for His blessings to flow through my obedience. His blessings aren't always the way we see them; as financial prosperity, material things, although He loves to include these! His divine inheritance has everything to do with knowing Christ, the power of His death and resurrection, and the peace, joy and righteousness of the Kingdom of God. We are told to seek first His kingdom, and all of our material benefits will be added unto us. So, praise God! I feel like I'm not completely out of my mind!

He has brought me to a place over the past several months that even suprises me. I can honestly say that I now count every achievement from my past as rubbish. It doesn't mean anything, and hasn't gotten me anywhere. The Lord is the one who qualifies me. Not the world or even the hard work I've done to become qualified in the world. I am hungry for the riches of Christ to flow, especially in my new job. And I am believing for His supernatural benefits. So, the answer to do I believe in Jehovah Jireh?: YES. With all of my being. I know that His provision is not just what He enjoys doing, it's just who He is. And, like Abraham, who He is is all I need to know.