Rain

A while ago I went for a walk one evening round the park. I was feeling really down and I just wanted my own space. I stepped outside, turned on my ipod, then angrily went back inside. My ipod had no charge and it looked like rain. I put the ipod on charge and sat in the house twiddling my thumbs. After half an hour I was so wound up that I decided I must go out and walk, it was the only thing that would help my mood and it would surely clear my head. I really don’t remember what was causing my foul mood but id got it into my head that a brisk walk was the only thing for it, so I just had to go.

As I walked, briskly in the cool evening breeze, my bizarre thoughts got even worse and I got it into my head that it would really help me feel better if it rained. You know, those big spots of rain, I just wanted to be drenched and I thought that would make me feel better. Those of you who know me will appreciate how unusual this is; I usually hate getting wet and always have an umbrella in my bag just in case. But somehow, on this occasion, I believed that some proper rain would help me to feel better and then I could go back home. It didn’t rain. There was thunder, and wind but no rain came. After an hour and a half I decided it was getting late and I should probably go back. Not all was lost I had been out of the house and I had been able to use the time to pray and reflect. As I climbed the steps to my bedroom I heard drops on the rooftop. I looked out of the window and low and behold it was raining, not just light rain but wet, heavy rain. Now I was cross. I had wanted a walk in the rain and that hadn’t happened. It felt like God was laughing in my face by sending the rain just as I got home.

This was a while ago now and apart from my unusual feeling of anger I didn’t really see the significance. This morning I listened to a talk on a passage from mark that I thought I knew quite well. Id lead bible study on marks gospel so knew the main themes and I think because of that I didn’t start with the best attitude. The talk was unexpectedly amazing! The speaker was so powerful and covered many different areas. One of these was the need to reassess our priorities and the realisation that societies priorities are not always correct.

This caused me to reflect on my current situation. For many years now I knew I would go to university to train as a teacher and I assumed I would walk straight into a job. From the age of 5 I’ve known I would be a teacher and so just assumed it would happen. Now that it hasn’t happened I’m not angry at god, rather wondering what he has in store for me.

My priorities should be god’s priorities and these are not necessarily the same as societies priorities. God knows what is best for me even when I don’t. This talk caused me to remember my walk in the ‘rain’. I thought the rain would be best for me but actually it wasn’t and god knew that getting wet wouldn’t have helped in the slightest but the long prayerful walk did.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that god always knows what’s best for us even when we don’t. Retrospect is a wonderful thing but we can’t have that until the time has passed. I don’t know what the future has in store for me but I pray that we will each be open to the challenges and opportunities he sends us. God does know best and getting cross or agitated certainly doesn’t solve anything.

Coping

What do you do when you don’t know how to handle a situation? Some people run, others hide. Some people face it head on whilst others ignore that its happening. However we choose to deal with the situation it’s not going to change what’s happening. Nothing you do can chance the inevitable and so methods of how to deal with things are important. But all these ways mentioned above are human ways, ways that won’t help in the long run or truly change the situation. What we should do is turn to god in prayer. This may seem like a simple response or you think to yourself “here we go again” or “yes, but it’s easier said than done”. Well too true, I’m glad if you’ve heard it before because just hearing it is not enough. I’d tell you a thousand times if that would have an effect. Taking our troubles and situations to god isn’t something we should just do in glad or sad times but all the time. This brings us nicely onto the next cliché “its easier said than done”. Again I agree. When we don’t know what to do we want answers, we seek help from our friends, neighbours, colleagues, family, the man on the bus, sometimes it gets to a point where we tell anyone who will listen and who could provide is with some tangible advice. But where we need to go is to the cross and present our situation to god. He is the one who will truly listen, for he has planned it and understands. Sometimes we can find it hard that we hear nothing in return and no practical guidance is offered, but how often do we take the time to listen for his response or read his word in the bible. So often we limit the power of god and don’t allow his voice to shine through. Is it that God isn’t doing anything or is it that we aren’t allowing him to do anything?

I’m living in a world of uncertainty at the moment and it’s not easy! But I’ve come to realise that if I’m not giving god the opportunities to speak and tell me of how to cope or what to do than I’m not going to know. God knows it all, for he planned it before I was made. When you put it like that it seems stupid not to be asking him what to do and where to go. It’s good to have your own ways to get through the ups and downs of life but its better to listen out for god. In Philippians Paul says: in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

I pray that whatever situation you find yourself in through the coming weeks and months you will get through it in gods power and will spend time listening as well as asking and crying out to him. May God guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and may you too receive the peace that transcends all understanding. Amen.

Gods perfect Timing

Have you ever felt like everyone around you has something or is doing something and you’re not included? I seem to have reached an age where lots of my friends are getting engaged and planning weddings. Of course not everyone’s engaged but everyone seems to know where they’re heading and have jobs or secure futures. I on the other hand, am living in a world of uncertainty not know what’s going to come up next. Don’t get me wrong I’m very happy for my friends and this is not a blog about self pity. Being in this situation has just caused me to reflect on timing and planning. It’s difficult to know what the best choices are but really we are very lucky because god has everything planned and however hard we try or whatever mistakes we make, we cant mess up his perfect plan for our lives. Gods timing is always right. He knows what we truly need and when we need it. What’s more he doesn’t just know this he act on it and provides for us, often so much more than just what we need. Although it’s hard when others have what you desire I am trusting that I’m in this situation for a reason. I’m not sure what god has in store for me over the next few months and years but I’m trusting that in his perfect timing it will be revealed to me. You can look upon uncertainty with excitement or fear. I’m going for the first one – a child of God walking with him and trusting in his perfect plan. (well that’s what I’m trying to do anyway)

There’s a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun,
A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
A time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace,

This is a commonly used passage (not always with good effect) but what’s important is that whatever we are going through god is there with us, guiding us and watching over every situation we find ourselves in. there is NOT a time when god isnt there with us!