"problem" areas

From the Jesus Calling

March 5

Make friends with the problems in your life. Though many things feel random and wrong, remember that I am sovereign over everything. I can fit everything into a pattern for good, but only to the extent that you trust Me. Every problem can teach you something, transforming you little by little into the masterpiece I created you to be. The very same problem can become a stumbling block over which you fall, if you react with distrust and defiance. The choice is up to you, and you will have to choose many times each day whether to trust Me or defy Me.

The best way to befriend your problems is to thank Me for them. This simple act opens your mind to the possibility of benefits flowing from your difficulties. You can even give persistent problems nicknames, helping you to approach them with familiarity rather than with dread. The next step is to introduce them to Me, enabling Me to embrace them in My loving Presence. I will not necessarily remove your problems, but My wisdom is sufficient to bring good out of every one of them.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.
—Romans 8:28 amp

But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
—1 Corinthians 1:23–24

Ok, so it is crazy that this was today's passage because just last night I was thinking of how often the times we draw closest to God and learn the most about him and His plans for our lives is during those tough times. It reminded me of when we were going through our infertility journey and that whole year of trying/treatments I really felt so close to Him and honestly thankful for that "problem" because I knew HE was the one ordaining it. And just like scripture says "all things work together for those who love him." That by NO means meant we WERE going to be pregnant at some point or that he was going to give us what WE wanted...but that this difficulty was just a puzzle piece in his greater plan...and that plan WAS GOOD, regardless if the end result was a baby!

And of course...none of that was of my flesh-because God knows we want what we want- when we want it. So Thank you Lord for giving me/us that attitude during that time. I look back at that time and my heart fills with joy and thanksgiving for the chance to grow closer to him and Blake during it. That I learned so much about not taking this child or parenting forgranted but to truly LIVE in the moment with this child-get down to his level, give up my phone, facebook, instagram, etc. To fight the urge to compare myself to what other mom's are...
doing::crafting::creating::sewing::decorating::cooking::blogging::event planning::etc.

To put it all away to cherish the moments with him-as repetitive as they may be, the Lord always finds a way to reward me with one of Hatch's little smiles, coo's, or just a sweet look from him.


It also made me pause and think about all my "problem" areas. Identify them and bring them to His feet. Thank him for them and ask Him to help me carry them. To ask him to reveal to me his lesson plan in each issue so that I may grow FULLY in that "problem." That is what my prayers today are about. For some reason this is something I'd like to journal in my personal journal...but am writing it here. I pray that it in some way encourages you or that maybe it is to be a humility stepping block for myself. Either way, I am learning to praise Him for those "problem" areas in my life.