Friday, April 16, 2010

God Knows Everything

I have been studying for the online Bible Study that I am leading in the fall.  Psalm 139 is an important chapter that we study.  So I thought I would start there.  I didn’t get very far when Psalm 139:3 stopped me in my tracks.

“You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.”

I always knew about the “path” that I am continually trying to locate and stay on.  But telling me where to stop and rest was something I don’t ever remember reading or learning before. 

If I had to pin point my location on the path I would say that I am at a resting place.  I have tried fighting against this rest stop.  I can see the road ahead of me and I want to keep moving and reach for the goals that God has me striving for.

The more I fought the harder God tried to hold me in the resting place.  Why would I bible-studying-pen-papgerwant to fight rest?  Looking back on the last two years I am asking myself a lot of questions.  Currently I am enjoying the rest.  I now know that this is a time of “being still” and taking time to study and prepare for what God has next.  I am enjoying it and treasuring this time that I get to spend with my Lord.  I am learning and growing tremendously; I have learned to be thankful for this time. 

The question arises again.  Why did I fight this?  Why did it have to come to the point of health issues and job loss for me to give in and give myself over to a period of rest.

As a society we are driven to succeed.  A period of rest could look like laziness and lack of dedication to the calling that God has placed on your life.  I was enjoying what I was doing for God, why would I want to stop?  I was helping people-- encouraging people to live their lives with and on purpose.  I won a National award for my book-- why would I want to stop when everyone was asking when my next book is coming out?

Now that I have chosen to stop and rest I have a clearer vision of what God has in store.  It is bigger and greater than anything that I was striving for when I was fighting the rest, and something I would have never seen if I didn’t have this time of rest.

Every moment you know where I am and why I am there.  May I continue to be obedient and trust that you know the path better than I may think I do.

7 comments:

  1. Thanks for this today Carolyn...Laura

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  2. He always does what is right, in order to fulfill His purpose. The strength of that and His absolute sovereignty give me security. He is really, really God.
    -Mary Graham (women of Faith Devotional Bible)

    You are still..."encouraging people to live their lives with and on purpose."

    Thanks

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  3. Thanks Laura and Nikki! I have learned a lot of lessons lately but I know that it is all working toward a purpose.

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  4. Every busy mom could benefit from this.

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  5. So true ..I want to fight the rest stop too. I have been learning over the last 2 years..the more you run on, the more you will be, where He wants you. I found if I insisted on running He would just build a little treadmill under my feet and I could just wear out and rest. One way or another I was going to sit quietly and have a rest!! Kind of sounds like how I have to make a two year old take his nap!!!

    still in progress...
    starla

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  6. Thanks Carolyn, I always enjoy reading your posts. I remember the morning of an MMO clothing sale a few years back - I was pregnant, sick, exhausted, and my dad drove from Wpg. to help me. He brought us a children's book on Psalm 139 and I read it that morning, came across that verse and knew it was for me that day...Michelle M.

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  7. Thanks for the comments everyone! I beleive this is a record of the most comments on one of my posts ever!

    I am glad for the lesson that I learned about rest and it is encouraging to see that I am not the only one that is on the path to learning.

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