The past several months have indeed been some of the most stressful of my life.
I quit my job, got married, moved, traveled to a different country, dealt with an extraordinary amount of bullshit house renovation issues (still dealing with a bunch), decided to start a business, and adopted a dog with potentially serious health problems.
In all of it, the gratefulness in my heart has never been fuller. The degree to which I have felt emotions has never been greater.
When we're struggling with bills, the decision to keep or return the sweetest dog on earth, the near constant C.F. of house renovations, the enormity of the dreams we share and hold individually, we question whether we've made the right choices from the beginning. Should we have bought the house? Should we have gotten a dog we know little about? Should we commit to starting a business with very little in the bank?
But through it all, we've constantly sought guidance from God, pleading for wisdom and knowledge and a way out should there be one. The challenge of faith is trusting that once the decision is made, there is a reason for it. Surely God would not give us the comfort and responsibility of a house if there is no underlying reason for it. Surely He would not lead us to the possession of a charming, sweet, loving, adorable dog, if we are unable to care for him properly. Surely He would not inspire us to pursue passions if there isn't something to be learned from it.
When we compare it to the story of Job, we realize how unbelievably blessed we are. God is not allowing things to be taken from us to create room for struggle, growth, faith, trust. He is giving us things to create struggle, growth, faith, trust. How generous!
When doubt, fear, sadness, and uncertainty creep in (or jump in, or takeover!), we must continually remind ourselves that God indeed has a plan for these things and if we seek Him and His wisdom, we will ultimately be better off.
Here's to trusting that God has our best interests in mind in the glorification of His kingdom.
I quit my job, got married, moved, traveled to a different country, dealt with an extraordinary amount of bullshit house renovation issues (still dealing with a bunch), decided to start a business, and adopted a dog with potentially serious health problems.
In all of it, the gratefulness in my heart has never been fuller. The degree to which I have felt emotions has never been greater.
When we're struggling with bills, the decision to keep or return the sweetest dog on earth, the near constant C.F. of house renovations, the enormity of the dreams we share and hold individually, we question whether we've made the right choices from the beginning. Should we have bought the house? Should we have gotten a dog we know little about? Should we commit to starting a business with very little in the bank?
But through it all, we've constantly sought guidance from God, pleading for wisdom and knowledge and a way out should there be one. The challenge of faith is trusting that once the decision is made, there is a reason for it. Surely God would not give us the comfort and responsibility of a house if there is no underlying reason for it. Surely He would not lead us to the possession of a charming, sweet, loving, adorable dog, if we are unable to care for him properly. Surely He would not inspire us to pursue passions if there isn't something to be learned from it.
When we compare it to the story of Job, we realize how unbelievably blessed we are. God is not allowing things to be taken from us to create room for struggle, growth, faith, trust. He is giving us things to create struggle, growth, faith, trust. How generous!
When doubt, fear, sadness, and uncertainty creep in (or jump in, or takeover!), we must continually remind ourselves that God indeed has a plan for these things and if we seek Him and His wisdom, we will ultimately be better off.
Here's to trusting that God has our best interests in mind in the glorification of His kingdom.
