The Big Picture

How do we get so focused on our circumstances that we forget about the big picture?

You see, I've found myself at a crossroads. I have seen God move so many times in the past several months, and in magnificent ways too. I have watched as He changed the hearts and lives of people right in front of me. I have witnessed His love and power firsthand. Yet, as soon as something goes wrong in my life, I somehow forget. I find myself saying "God please, I need your help now" or "God, how come you're not doing or saying anything to me. Why are you waiting?"

The picture above is Lucas and me(on the right) talking to a guy named Peter(on the left). This was on a street corner in Belfast. We ran after Peter as we saw him walk by, because we wanted to tell him about Jesus. Long story short, Peter ended up sharing with us that he had tried to commit suicide 3 times in the past few weeks, and that he had broken up with his girlfriend and was sleeping around to try to find happiness. He said that he wasn't even supposed to be on that street corner, but he had accidentally gotten off at the wrong bus stop. Why did He share these things with us? Because we told him the truth. We told him what he had been waiting so long to hear. We told Peter that God kept him alive because He loved and wanted him...because He wanted a relationship with him...because He wanted to fill that emptiness inside. Needless to say, that day, right there in the middle of the street, Peter gave his life to Jesus and was forever changed.

So why did I share that story and how does it fit in to what I'm trying to say? Most people don't open up and share their life stories with just anyone. But let me tell you, God put it on our hearts to go talk to Peter. God helped him to "accidentally" get off at the wrong bus stop. And God moved in Peter's heart to allow him to open up to us. Why did Peter do that? Because God's love is powerful and when people feel His love, they can't help but respond to it. I shared this story, because it is something I witnessed with my own eyes. I saw God move right in front of me, and I know He is so good!

Ha! So here is my dilemma: There are a lot of unanswered questions that I have in my life, but seeing as how God has already proved to me that He is good, do I keep pressing for Him to answer me now, or do I wait and trust that He will reveal everything in due time? The answer seems simple enough, but trust me, when things are constantly on your mind, it is a whole lot harder. Trusting God isn't easy. It means that we aren't in control of our lives, and that is a scary thing! But if God is good AND powerful, then how much better is His plan and His timing than our plan and our timing? I think we could all take a step back from our lives and look at the big picture, because when I do that, somehow, my life seems so much easier.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18