It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do

It is a great deal easier to do that which God gives us to do… than to face the responsibilities of not doing it.
-- B. J. Miller

A few days ago I had a doctor’s appointment. I made this appointment a while ago so I was well prepared for it, laying out our clothes the night before and setting the alarm so we wouldn’t be rushed. The morning of my doctor’s visit, we followed our regular got-somewhere-to-be routine and left the house in plenty of time. I got GG where she needed to be and had roughly 50 minutes before I had to be at my doctor’s appointment.

Since I had so much time to spare, I decided to take a different route than the one I usually took to get to the doctor’s office. I believed this route would be shorter – it wouldn’t take me around the city like the other route did, and although it was an unfamiliar route, I knew that my keen sense of direction would guide me and still get me there in enough time. I even had enough time to stop and get coffee, even though I’d already had 2 cups.

… even though my intuition told me to go the route I knew.

Funny thing about intuition – sometimes its infusion into your thoughts is so swift and subtle, you disregard it. I presumed that thinking about the other route was just me doubting my ability to figure out the new route. Besides, I had plenty of time to work it out. So, on I drove.

… and on… and on… and on… and… on…

An hour and 10 minutes later, I stood at the doctor’s receptionist’s desk rescheduling my appointment because I’d missed it.

Had I simply – and I mean SIMPLY – obeyed my instincts – God’s gentle, divine, and all-knowing prompting – a ride that should have only taken 20 minutes would not have taken a full hour! If I had followed my first thought/that still quiet Voice, I would not have gotten lost and had to double back and sit in long lines of traffic. Because I did not follow the holy urging in my gut/center, I not only spilled the piping hot coffee on my newly dry cleaned coat, I have to wait a whole ‘nother month to get in to see the doctor!

Bet I’ll be obedient next time!

Or will I?

See, I have this faulty tendency to rely on my own thinking, my own understanding, often forgetting that Elohim composes all the details. I forget that even the small inner voice that beckons beneath all the “stuff” of my life is Elohim calling out for me to follow Him at every moment. Sometimes the faith I have in myself often erroneously displaces the faith I have in Elohim, and, of course, those are the times I end up getting lost, going the wrong way, doing hasty/careless/dense things, and having to do them all over again. It seems I have to bump my head in order to learn my lessons instead of just being faithful and obedient in the first place.

Geez! When will I learn? Hopefully I got it now. Or, at least I’m getting it.

My mishap is a very simple example of one of the parables Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount – building on rock instead of sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Trusting my own thoughts and understanding is like building a house on sand that floods and gets sucked under when the storms come. I’m flawed, susceptible to selfishness, and have no knowledge of the whole picture – I’m human. But obeying God and relying solely on His commandments is the rock upon which my house/prosperity/arriving on time at the doctor’s office is built.

God told me which way to go so that I’d not lose my way and be saved. He didn’t just tell me that for the big stuff but for all things. It stands to reason, if I can listen to, trust, and obey Him Who is perfect in knowledge/speaks from heaven/gives me counsel/is above and over all – even and especially in the small things – certainly my faith and obedience are with Him in all things.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storms to pass...

Life isn't about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Author Unknown

This wilderness I find myself in these days is a strange place. Mysterious. On some days, I can see my way through it and find meaning in it; those days are lovely. On other days, there're blinding dust storms and huge tidal waves, suffocating from me any progress I'd made in this journey. On those days, I feel anything but lovely. It's on those days I feel woe/puzzlement and throw my biggest pity parties.

Nobody ever attends those parties, thankfully; they're just not that much fun. Besides, I don't want to be known for having bad shindigs. As a matter of fact, I don't want to live another day sad/sullen/sorry; I want to live like I've got something waiting for me. Because. I. do!

When I get quiet, still, and listen, I am reminded by Elohim that allowing the difficult/painful/disappointing times is His way of pruning and polishing me for something greater. Hebrews 12:7 (NIRV) says "Put up with hard times. God uses them to train you. He is treating you as children. What children are not trained by their parents?" Then, verses 11-12 continue: "No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does that for those who have been trained by it. So lift your sagging arms. Strengthen your weak knees."

Keeping my mind and heart focused on God, discerning what God wants me to learn while I walk through this wilderness, and getting/being/remaining obedient to His Word/will, I am able to accept this time in my life, this valley, this storm with grace, submission, and awe. I can receive the "no" as protection and the "not now" for requisite strengthening/preparation/respect for God's timing. I can begin to uncover/understand/believe who Elohim says I am and disavow everything that caused me to think otherwise. I can appreciate the Word, take it at face value, fight for it, and really heed/trust it to point the way. This wilderness simply feels like a place of respite when I keep my eyes on what/how God is moving through me/my life/the atmosphere. God is working on my harvest!

So I'll sing in the storms of this journey. Maybe I'll dance a bit in this wilderness – maybe learn how to do a really wild Dougie! Perhaps I'll discover some new hobbies – wine tasting, cooking, photography, bird watching, belly dancing, playing volleyball with GG. Maybe I'll travel more, write more, spend more time with friends, volunteer more, work on publishing the "Thought…". Maybe I'll do all of that!

But, what I won't do anymore – with Jehovah Ropheka's (the God who heals) help – is have/wallow around at another sorry soiree. That takes too much precious energy.

Instead, I'm going to learn, as Paul said in Philippians 4:11 (AMP), "… how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am."

Amen and Amen…….

Be quiet, still, and listen

A few weeks ago I hashed through these multitudes of bookcases and gave away hordes of books that I'd either read and someone else could now enjoy or had not read and never would. I gave away a few CDs, some albums, and threw away several VHS'. When we decorated for Christmas, I gave away holiday trinkets I didn't need, like, or have space for anymore, and after Christmas, I gave away even more trinkets and whatnots. I've cleaned my email of old addresses; unsubscribed from email feeds I no longer wanted to receive; got rid of a cable box and a TV; bought a portable hard drive to save all the music and pictures on my old computer before the thang actually gives out; and started cleaning out the storage rooms. Next, I'll go through the pots, pans, dishes, and linen closet, and, before the end of next month, I'll go through my clothes closet and start my Project 333.

I went to a health food store and signed on for an ionic food bath that will help to remove the years of toxins from my body. I unraveled my 142 13 year-old locs, and, I'm thinking of finding a yoga class or joining the newly renovated neighborhood YMCA so that I can continue my impressive weight loss feats!

I've reconnected with some friends and shunned from my life those who have been hurtful, detrimental, and counter to/disagreeable with my purpose. I've decided to do new things with/for my body, things more sacred and inside the will and purpose of God (I Corinthians 6:18-20), and I've begun the thorny/frightening/intimidating/awesome task of looking my Self in the face/at the core, discharging secrets and denial, and replacing them with truth, honesty, transparency, and integrity.

I am on a mighty purge, getting clear and clean. And all this activity makes for a busy me – and a longed for echo in my house. But there's one problem. Actually a big problem. I can't hear God.

While I'm going through closets and shelves, I find myself talking to God quite a bit, asking all these questions, placing stuff before Him, all that. And while that's definitely not a bad thing – God always wants to hear from us about whatever – I'm repeating myself and talking/whining louder/more than I should be. While I'm cleaning up and clearing out, my mind is racing and I'm walking around caught in my head. I'm asking God questions but I'm relying on my own flaky understanding and allowing all that worries/concerns/baffles me to churn out of control. As I place the extra shower curtains in the Goodwill bag and marvel at the empty space left behind, my beseeching God becomes even more relentless, noisy, and insistent.

Enter yesterday's "God Wants You to Know," the Facebook application that delivers a daily message of encouragement and support –

"On this day, God wants you to know ... that you've been talking to God too much, and not listening enough. Prayer is when you talk to God. Meditation is when you become quiet and listen to God. You've learned how to talk and ask well. Time to learn how to listen and hear, because God has been answering you."

Uh, ok. I don't believe in coincidences. I believe that God aligns everything perfectly and. that. message. was. perfect. I've asked the questions, shared my load with Elohim, now, it's time to shut it up and listen to what God has to say about it.I'm listening.

Oh, wait, I've got to put the broom down for awhile and be still. Just like you can only see your reflection in still water, there's no way you can hear God in a whole bunch of activity, although God can talk to you in any way at any time. But for me, right now, I gotta get still.

So, the pots and pans can wait. It's definitely too cold to clean out the storage rooms. And, I'm really in no hurry to sort through the clothes closets.

I'm getting quiet, being still, and listening.Sadiqqa © 2011