It Won't Help

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It tells you the truth, it keeps you from believing something not true, and it tells you what you should do.  Have you ever noticed some people who really want something – that they think – if only they had it, it would make their life so much better, or make their life complete?  If I only had a nicer car, or a house that I owned, or a bigger house, or a better job.  They’re always wishing for something they don’t have, thinking they’d be happy if they only had it.  Be careful, some things you could want - aren’t God’s best for you at all.   Some things you don’t need ever, and some things you don’t need 'til later.  You don’t need a new car, you need to wash the one you have.  You don’t need a new house, you need to learn to steward the one you have (even if it belongs to someone else).  You don’t need a new job, God’s waitin' on you to do a better job at this job.  Be faithful at this job, be excellent at this job.  But it doesn’t pay anything!  Yes it does, and you don’t get paid what you’re worth, you get paid what the job is worth.  But if you learn to add value, eventually you will be paid what you’re worth, only to be underpaid again, because you should always give more value than your getting paid.  If I only had a boyfriend.  You don’t need a boyfriend, you need a husband, but you don’t need him right now.  Why do you say that?  Because either you’re not ready, or He’s not ready.  God has something to finish in you or him, or both of you - for you both to become…  So you will be ready.  And the goal isn’t getting married!  It’s what you both do together when you are married.  The goal isn’t to get to the NFL, it’s that’s you’re only goal, you probably won’t make it, and if you do, you won’t last long.  The goal is not to get there, it’s to be excellent there – so you can win Super Bowls.  And if you’re not excellent yet here, you won’t know how to be excellent there…  Why don’t you have a husband yet?  Or a wife yet?  Because you or they aren’t ready, so rather than wanting that husband, or that wife, want God first, become what He’s trying to grow you to become - so He can bring you to them at His perfect time, because you’ve become what they need, and they’ve become what you need.  But I’d rather have them now…  No you don’t.  You just think you do.  Does a farmer want a chicken now?  Just break open the egg, you’ll get one faster.  But it will never be healthy, it will never be strong or even viable, it will never reproduce, and you wouldn’t want it to.  You don’t want any good thing from God before it’s time, before He’s ready, before it’s ready and you’re ready.  He’s preparing it for you, and you for it.  He’s preparing them for you and you for them…  Or it won’t be as good as it would have been in God’s perfect timing.  Be careful what you long for, it might not be the best for you, or the best at this time.  If only I could have that thing…  It won’t help, you just don’t know that truth yet.  Learn to love what you have, not long for what you don’t.  Be consumed with the joy of obedience in this season, and you will always thrive when the next season comes.  Be thankful, if God never gives you anything else, and you’ll be thankful when He brings you more than you can ask or imagine.  Some people think that means ask or imagine more.  They are so busy asking and imagining, they aren’t doing with excellence what God gave them to do first, right now, so they can receive what He has next.  John and James Mom asked Jesus for a favor… that her two sons could sit at his right and his left in his kingdom.  “You don’t know what you’re asking?  Are you able to drink the cup I’m about to drink?  Yeah, we can do that…they foolishly replied, clueless as to what they were even talking about.  In Gethsemane they scattered like sheep.  Praying that you won’t think ever think something you want - will fix or solve everything.  It won’t help.  If you’re not happy now, neither will you be then.  If you aren’t faithful now, neither will you be then.  If you aren’t thriving now, how will you then?  Whoever is faithful with little is faithful also with much.  Here first, then there!  Praise God! It’s always easier to be faithful with little, than much.  Easier to cut the grass on a quarter acre lot, than a five acre lot.  If you catch yourself, wanting something else, thinking it will make you happy or better or fulfilled…  Learn to be more faithful, thankful and joyful with what you have…  Love what you have, so you’ll be ready for what He has next…  So you’ll be faithful in the next thing that God has for you, not just happy to get there.    
 
Love you all,
dad