So...to keep myself accountable to you all, I need to update you on how Operation Optimistic Tranquility is going in The Office. Well.....Monday had some rough moments. I went into work with my speech on "Adversity creates opportunity" which was met with some skepticism and some agreement. Others had similar thoughts over the weekend. But we all sit together in a small space, and as the day wore on, different people would pop up out of their work cube and lay out a scenario re: our job situation that no one had thought of before. This would cause a ripple of anxiety to run through us all...and then I would create a "what if" for us all to explore together. So, Lesson # 1 seems to be that to stay focused on God and His plan is going to be a daily battle. The Enemy wants me to have defeating thoughts! And to share them with my teammates!
I don't believe it's an accident that our small group is doing a study right now on "Waiting". You know, the outcome of this job situation may be GREAT but it's the waiting through the unknown that's a killer. I got to flesh out some of my thoughts on my wait during our small group session Monday night. The study points out the wait that great men of faith have had: Joseph, Moses, and even Jesus all had waiting periods (some of them VERY LOOOOOONG) in their lives. God used that period to build character and godly traits in them. I trust He wants to do the same for me.
For Community Bible study, we are now in the book of Habakkuk. I hve found this study relevant as well. Isn't God good like that? Habakkuk had questions for God. "Why do you let these people of yours go on sinning?" "How long can a holy God tolerate the rebellious people of Israel" and "When will you send judgement?" When God revealed that He was going to use the even more evil Babylonians to judge the Jews, Habakkuk was aghast! Why would God use something even more depraved? Once Habakkuk asked these questions of God, he WAITED for the Lord's answer.
Here is what I learned from Habakkuk: Spend time with God. Psalm 73: 16 & 17 says "go into the sanctuary". I have found a chair to sit in and be still. (thanks for the sermon on solitude, Dan) 2nd: Abide in God's Word. John 8: 31 &32 says "You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free". 3rd: Pray. James 1: 5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask..."
So, that's the game plan. I hope I have attended enough practice sessions to execute the plan when it counts.
I don't believe it's an accident that our small group is doing a study right now on "Waiting". You know, the outcome of this job situation may be GREAT but it's the waiting through the unknown that's a killer. I got to flesh out some of my thoughts on my wait during our small group session Monday night. The study points out the wait that great men of faith have had: Joseph, Moses, and even Jesus all had waiting periods (some of them VERY LOOOOOONG) in their lives. God used that period to build character and godly traits in them. I trust He wants to do the same for me.
For Community Bible study, we are now in the book of Habakkuk. I hve found this study relevant as well. Isn't God good like that? Habakkuk had questions for God. "Why do you let these people of yours go on sinning?" "How long can a holy God tolerate the rebellious people of Israel" and "When will you send judgement?" When God revealed that He was going to use the even more evil Babylonians to judge the Jews, Habakkuk was aghast! Why would God use something even more depraved? Once Habakkuk asked these questions of God, he WAITED for the Lord's answer.
Here is what I learned from Habakkuk: Spend time with God. Psalm 73: 16 & 17 says "go into the sanctuary". I have found a chair to sit in and be still. (thanks for the sermon on solitude, Dan) 2nd: Abide in God's Word. John 8: 31 &32 says "You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free". 3rd: Pray. James 1: 5 "If any of you lacks wisdom, ask..."
So, that's the game plan. I hope I have attended enough practice sessions to execute the plan when it counts.
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