Return to Sender

When the answer from God is not what we wanted or expected, sometimes our immediate response is to say, “Nope, this is not for me…return to sender…maybe this was addressed to the wrong person…surely this is not for me…right?”

I have been struggling lately with trusting God with the plans he has for my life because I know ultimately I’m not the one in control. God is the one running the show. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that fact and rely on God especially when I can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I have had some revelations regarding this subject, trusting God. I believe it all starts with knowing the character of God. Not only knowing his traits, but for me personally, I have had to constantly remind myself of how good God is. While I live sometimes with uncertainty, one thing I am certain of is this characteristic that God has reminded me of.

God is a giver.

Matthew 7:11 says “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” This verse is sooo true and reading it with hindsight and a clearer lens, it makes a lot of sense. (Side Note: I realize that often times the Word of God has this ability to flip a light switch on in my brain that strengthens my faith in God because it reminds me of the truth that is often drowned out by the world…anyways) If you really think about it God knows far more than anyone on Earth so of course he is going to know exactly what to give us, and when we need it.

God even knows us better than anyone ever could. He knows us better than we know ourselves. In Psalms 139 David proclaims that God not only knew his innermost being, but created it. The best part is that God loves us, he loves his creation and as the one who knows us best and wants the best for us, he knows exactly what to give us and more importantly…what we need. This is why we should trust God.

While writing this, I’m reminded of gifts I’ve received for different holidays from friends and family. These are people who love me and I love them, but sometimes I have been given gifts that were not necessarily things I admittedly would have wanted.

Socks are a great example. Nobody hates socks or receiving them as a gift but…it’s usually not the first thing on most people’s list of must haves. But because we love them and don’t want to make someone feel bad for gifting us with…a pair of socks, while unwrapping the gift in front of them we smile, and say “Thank you, you shouldn’t have!” It’s not that we don’t like socks or that we don’t like the giver, it’s just that socks weren’t what we were expecting (unless they’re that person who gives everyone socks every year for Christmas… then you kinda saw it coming).

In the end it’s the thought that counts. Someone close to you thought of you, they spent time looking through the sock section at Walmart to find YOU a pair of socks that are probably soft and fuzzy, with your name on it. They wanted to get you something they thought you’d like, the contrast between this giver and God is that God knows our wants and most importantly he knows our NEEDS (there’s no guessing game to play).

Let’s say you want patience. It’s a great quality for a person to have and pretty admirable to want, let alone ask for. This is a great gift that God would be willing to give, it’s a fruit of the Spirit after all. However, the way that gift may arrive might be in an unexpected way. Maybe God gives you an opportunity at school, or at work, or possibly with people you may run into at the grocery store. What may seem like just another day at the job or just another hectic Walmart run, could be a chance God is giving (gifting) you to test the waters of patience.

In the midst of this gift of opportunity, it may look like just another annoying situation or roadblock in the middle of your regularly scheduled program. Missing this opportunity could cause you to miss the chance to practice patience.

The Giver: God

The Gift: Patience

The Unwanted Package that FedEx Slammed on your Doorstep Unexpectedly After 5-10 Business Days: A Golden Opportunity for Patience

I believe it’s all about your perspective. What I have been learning is, in order to get the right perspective of God, not only as the giver, I have to lean into the truth of what the Word says about Him and how He cares for His children. I believe that God wants us to not take these “unwanted” gifts for granted, nor to turn away from them just because we may not see them for the greater purpose God has for them in our lives. After all, in James 1:17 it says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father.”

-MDSN