Unexpected Blessings

Recently, we were presented with an unexpected opportunity to serve. It came at a super crazy time for us as we had just come home from a trip and were getting ready for a huge event the next weekend. 

I had meticulously plotted out the week to prepare for the event. Each day had its long list of tasks to complete.

But when the Lord called us to switch gears, we said yes without a second thought. In the years we have been walking with the Lord, we’ve learned through many experiences that God is not bound by our timing or plans. When He wants to move in a new direction, saying YES is the only way to go! So we set aside our expectations and plans and trusted that God would take care of the details. 

And did He ever! Even though our entire life shifted for a couple weeks, we were so tremendously blessed.

While we were busy with other things, God provided the extra help needed to move forward with our event. 

When it started to seem overwhelming, He provided rest and fun so that we could relax and experience His joy and peace, as well as clear vision and purpose.

When there were obstacles, God met our needs in big ways.

Seeing God move throughout the couple of weeks was incredible and faith-building! What was even more amazing was that God used the entire set of circumstances to prepare our hearts for another unexpected situation that came right after our serving opportunity came to an end.

What would have happened if we hadn’t said yes to serving? I’m not sure, but I do know that we would have missed unimaginable blessings. We also would have been less spiritually and emotionally prepared to deal with the situation that came up right after.

It’s not always easy to say yes and put aside your own plans when the Lord calls you to do something. I know there are several times in our past when we talked ourselves out of saying yes to an opportunity to serve with arguments of “How can we fit it in our schedule?” or “We can’t afford that!” I am saddened to think of blessings and growth experiences we missed by not being obedient and saying yes!

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.

Just to clarify, we should never say yes with the idea that we are going gain something from it. We should be saying yes to be obedient to what our Heavenly Father has called us to do. Obeying God is not without cost – it can be challenging and can require you to give up more than you anticipated. The reward in obeying is the joy of obedience and having the Lord use you in His plans. That outweighs any physical blessing we might imagine.

Isaiah 6 tells of the calling of the prophet Isaiah. This has always been a favorite passage of mine because I love the willingness of Isaiah to serve. It is such great reminder and encouragement to have that same immediate response when the Lord is calling me to do something.

Isaiah 6:8
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

I encourage you to always be ready to say YES to the Lord’s plans! Prepare yourself now with saying yes to the “little” things (which are not little things at all!)– read the Word and spend time in prayer daily, obey God’s commands, go to church. These are the building blocks for a bigger YES in the future. We need to be firmly rooted in the Lord so we can be ready for all that He wants to do through us!

Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Walk faithfully, my friends!

#EverythingUnderTheSon
Reposted from a blog I wrote for our church’s blog group.

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