It was late at night. Already dark. Normally, I would be preparing for bed, but not that night. This night God had a lesson to teach me and it was one I needed to learn.
I was standing at the kitchen window, looking out into the back yard. As I said, it was dark, pitch-black outside. I couldn’t see anything except a faint light inside the building. Although I couldn’t see anything, I knew Bre and her husband were out there, working in the dark.
Every few minutes I heard the sound of a saw as Breanne cut another board and carried it inside. As I stood there, looking outside into the dark, I thought about something. I thought about the many times I had tried to interest Breanne in writing or teaching for the ministry. It simply wasn’t something she wanted to do. I felt it would be so much easier for me if she was a writer or a speaker – but it was not to be – at least not now.
While listening to the sound of my daughter sawing boards at 9:30 at night, I realized God had given me exactly what I needed. I didn’t need someone else to write – that’s my call. I needed someone who would come along side of me and work. Whatever that work may be. Tonight, it was sawing boards. Tonight, it was framing in walls. It was taking care of those things. Things I couldn’t do. Which allowed me to seek God, seek His word, and write. It was at that moment that I stopped wishing Breanne would do things I thought she should do. It was at that moment I was thankful that she did only what God called her to do.
Proverbs 16:9 says, A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
I love the way The Passion Translation says it.
Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.
You see, if I had my way in the past, Breanne would have a passion for writing. That would have been my plan. However, God had another plan. He put the gifts in her that she would need to succeed. I was seeing a portion of those gifts tonight.
Breanne has many talents. She is irreplaceable at the ministry in the day-to-day duties. For that I am thankful. But the thing I am most thankful for is things just like tonight – whatever needs done, she does it. When it’s not convenient. When she is weary. Whatever it is, she does it. She will do whatever it takes to make it easier on me where the ministry is concerned. I thank God for her.
What I realized that night is this; God knows what we need much better than we do. We think it needs to be one way – but He knows what it really needs to be. As the scripture says… but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there.
ONLY the Lord knows the steps it will take to get us there. Only the Lord knows what we will need to arrive at our destination. We must trust Him with that. I don’t know about you but sometimes I forget this powerful truth. God does go before us and make the crooked places straight. He knows exactly what He is doing, even and especially when we think He doesn’t.
Today, if you are planning your way, make sure you leave room for God to direct your steps.
He knows how to get you there – trust Him. He knows who and what it will take to get you to the destination He has for you. God says He will perfect all that concerns us, and He will. We only need to follow Him and allow Him to choose the steps to get us there…to that place of all things perfected. Trust Him today, He has everything we need…it is all found in Him. Oh so faithful, is our God. Worthy to be praised!
