Back At It

How many times have you heard, read, or referred to this scripture?

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139: 13-14

It is a beautiful reference to God's divine hand in your creation; His purpose for you to be here; His declaration of life from the moment of conception.

But, I want to take this a step further. Peruse with me if you will:

"Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (verse 16)

This scripture has been hovering over me for a while - for the last few weeks in fact.

We love to refer to Jeremiah 29:11 - God has plans and a purpose for you. However, do we ever connect these scriptures? We think of God's plans to prosper us meaning to bless us and love us. And I agree that is true. But, how often to we get out of our earthly, materialistic mindset and think about what that really means?

Let me put it this way: If I believe the Bible (and, I do) then I must trust His words. And if I believe the Bible, then I believe ALL of Psalm 139; that God not only formed me from the moment of conception, but He also knew my life before one breath was taken. All of it.

Travel with me: God knew I would be in a car accident at age 31 that would leave me with a dislocated shoulder that would plague me for years. (Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things.)

Let's keep going: He knew I would be divorced at 38. He knew my children would grow up without their mother and father a part of their daily lives.

Take it further: God knew Curt Cannon would be in a devastating accident at age 7. God knew Caleb Gill would die of cancer at age 6.

So...what's my point?

God's purpose.

I found myself two years ago at the point of physical illness because of unknowns. Or, I should say unknowns - to me. And the Spirit reminded me in that devastating time that there are no unknowns to God. And in order to fully trust Him, I had to trust God with my unknowns.

Our future is unknown - to us. Our purpose is often unknown - to us.

But it is never - and I really believe NEVER - unknown to God.

So - as His follower; as His beloved; as His child; as His bride - do I trust Him with MY unknowns? Am I willing and ready to surrender my life to His purpose?

We can ask, "How can God's purpose be for me to face divorce? Traumatic brain injury? Death?" I am not saying that God wills pain and suffering on us. I am saying that He knows it is part of our experience on this earth. And He uses those experiences to His purpose.

If I focus on my pain and my heartache and all that has been taken from me, (thanks for the Narnia reference, Dana), then I am not fully trusting God. I am not trusting His love for me. I am not trusting that He does in fact hold me, and my life, and my children, in the palm of His mighty hand. And I spend too much energy and tear-filled nights filled with pain and heartache over "why."

But, if I trust that He does in fact have a point to all of this; He does in fact use my life, and my pain and my experience, to point others to Jesus; then my life truly does have a purpose.

You see, I cannot live one day thinking that my pain - or any others' pain - was pointless and random. If that is true - then truly what is the point?

It is for one purpose and one only - to point others to God. This is not my life. This is not ultimately my destiny. I am simply in the training camp for my true destiny that lies ahead. If my life is all sunshine and rainbows (you had to know I'd have a 'Rocky' reference in here somewhere) then I can never truly appreciate God's grace and providence and relentless passion for me. I can also never witness to others who face trials and do not know my Savior.

Whatever you're facing. There IS a purpose to it. There IS a point. And there IS a God. Who is not punishing you. Who is not indifferent.

Who IS: Desperately. Passionately. Relentlessly pursuing ... YOU.