It was five o’clock finally. Another day was on the time
clock and another evening of dinner and tv about to commence. No wife, no
girlfriend, heck, he didn't even have a dog. Work was boring. It was just a
dead end job, not a real career. But he didn't know what kind of career he
wanted to have.
Choose a job you love, and you will
never have to work a day
in your life.
~Confucius
He started thinking about things that he loved. As he
went down the list in his head he tried to think of related jobs he could apply
for. It was already getting late though and it was back to work early tomorrow
morning so he’d have to think about applying for those jobs later. How could he go back to that mundane job for another 8 hour shift?
That night in bed the covers just kept getting tangled, the
pillows wouldn't fluff right and his soft mattress felt like a park bench. This wasn't the first sleepless night he’d had. His eyes glazed over and the red
digits on his alarm clock went out of focus and blended together into a red
glow. Faint vibrating from his phone snapped him out of his daze. Rolling over
to the other side of his bed he swung his arm down to see who was texting.
hey buddy. read this verse and was encouraged. jus wanted to
pass it on. do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer
and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~phil 4:6
He breathed out deeply and set the phone back on the floor. He
and his accountability partner had been texting each other daily with
encouragement from the Word. It was great because it helped him to focus on
learning something from his daily devotions and it was always interesting to
hear what his friend had learned.
Folding his hands across his chest he contemplated the words
on the screen. Until this point, it hadn't struck him how anxious he’d become.
But God couldn't really take that anxiety away. A little prayer probably wouldn't hurt though.
Dear God…he said in his head…what is it you want me to do?
Show me; tell me; lead me; direct me; guide me. I want to give it up for You,
but I don’t know how to do that.
He sat in silence.
Half not knowing what to say next,
half
wishing he would hear his phone
vibrating with a text from God.
Nothing happened.
Agh, he sighed. He knew what he really wanted. He couldn't give it up to God. I mean he still wanted it. He couldn't imagine ever not
wanting it. How then could he lie to God about not wanting it anymore? He couldn't even lie to himself about not wanting it.
But then, for some reason, (could it have possibly have been
the prayer?) a peace swept over his heart.
The anxiety that had been oppressing
him for months melted away like last night’s snow on the driveway.
In his head he could hear the preacher reciting,
“In all your
ways acknowledge HIM and
HE will make your paths straight.”
~Proverbs 3:6
Countless times had he heard this message in Sunday morning
service.
Never did he truly understood what it meant to acknowledge God.
Until
now.
Acknowledging
God’s sovereignty, HIS omniscience,
HIS
omnipotence, and HIS love
didn't mean giving up his desires.
He didn’t have to
lie to himself and “give up His desire for a ____”, he just had to acknowledge
that God knew better how to give him the desire of his heart.
This realization
was so stunning it took his breath away.
Before he even realized it, he was
fast asleep in the peace of God which passes all understanding.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge HIM and he will make your paths
straight.” ~Proverbs 3:5-6
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