MOTIVATIONAL MONDAY

I have always loved to read. Put me in a library and I could stay there for hours. When I was young, I was an impatient reader. I would sometimes flip to the end of a book to find out how the story ends. I wanted to know ahead of time how the mysteries would be solved, would the lovers end up together, and if I could expect a happy ending or not. As I grew older that bad reading habit changed. Although until a year ago I thought of life that way. I wondered if I would marry again, or if it was God’s will for me to remain single. I wondered how much time I had to do all the things I had not done, I wondered about my business and career, I wondered about my son, my grandchildren, my family and friends. In other words, I wanted to read the end of the book, avoid all of the in-between chapters and find out exactly how my life story was to end. The funny thing is no matter how many signs and clues I looked for, it never turned out the way I expected it too. Now that’s good if you’re reading a book or watching a movie, I like surprises, not so much when it’s your life story.

 Paul Tripp, who is a pastor, author, and international conference speaker said, “We do not need to know everything we think we need to know.” He wrote, “Thankfully I am not the author of my own personal story. Your story isn’t an autobiography either. Your story is a biography of wisdom and grace written by another. Every turn he writes into your story is right. Every twist of the plot is for the best. Every new character or unexpected event is a tool of his grace. Each new chapter advances his purpose.”(New Morning Mercies)

 Wow, speak that truth Mr. Tripp! And thankfully I have come to realize how true that is. Our life story is written by God, and just like any other author, only He knows what each chapter brings and how the final chapter will end. We as humans do believe we need to know what’s going to happen in our lives, at least just a little peek. That’s the enemy talking. God does not withhold anything from us that we need to know. With God’s help, I am learning that in the in-between chapters, He is working on my character. He is teaching me trust, patience, and how to wait on him through the unknown. Just like the characters in the books I love to read, my character has unexpected twists and turns and trials, many of them out of my control. But the author always knows how the story will end before the characters do. Now that I have a relationship with Jesus, I no longer have anxiety and fear about what will happen in my chapters ahead. I depend on my Author, Jesus who said, “For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” I can depend on Him to lead me to a great place which will bring Him glory. As my story continues, I want to be a witness through the very last chapter, that although life tried its best to write my story, I did not give up, I let God shape and mold me into the character he made me to be. I love my God, my Author. Much Love……