“useful BUT not necessary!”

 

 I tell you what, sometimes I feel like I’m one of the most blessed people on earth.  In all the trials and tribulations of life, God has surrounded me with others who have a true heart for the Lord.  These folks love one another and truly encourage one another in the journey.  One thing that’s unique in these relationships is that while they offer thoughts and encouragements from a personal standpoint, what they are truly seeking is God’s words of encouragement and guidiance along the way.  So, the questions becomes, how do we received such guidance?

Well, one of my friends has begun a movement of gather groups of people together for times he’s labeled as “Likehearted” groups who gather for times of “Listening to God”.  As my borther is in a distant state, we normally only get to spend time face-to-face about once a year.  However, what we’ve begun is a time for Listening to God via conference call.  As with my post of virtual coaching, the use of technology has become much more effective than one might think in connecting Likehearted people.

Yesterday, my friend introduced me to a new friend.  As we opened our time of Listening to God together, we shared what we felt God was placing on our hearts this past week.  I shared how the past few weeks, my theme as been “What does waiting on the Lord truly look like?”   In conjuction with this, my new friend mentioned that God had been impressed in upon him “how much do we really need to know about what is coming?”

With these seeds planted, as well as a few others, we transitioned to a time of prayer and listening.  We can share more about the particular process we use down the road; however, an important note I’d add upfront is that we’re there just to listen.  The temptation is the turn this into a “me-centeric” exercise versus truly having a heart to hear what God has to say that particular moment.  What’s interesting is doing this as a group is that during the debrief, you normally see common threads of what God is bring to mind.  Yesterday was such a case for us.

Specifically, my new friend debriefed as follows:   

• “Clarity is useful BUT not necessary!
• Financial security is useful BUT not necessary
• Good health is useful BUT not necessary
• Meaningful work is useful BUT not necessary
• Friends are useful BUT not necessary
• Only TRUST IN GOD is BOTH useful AND necessary
• What do we actually need?  Trust FIRST then provision
• God can only give us what we want when we don’t need it!  If it gets in the way of Trusting God He hesitates to provide it.”

Now friends, that was a powerful message given the context of my “waiting upon the Lord”.  Let me explain a bit of why.  You see, another friend of mine and I met the week prior.  On a few occurences, he’s mentioned the story of Abraham and Sarah relating it to parents who adopt.  Something we’ve all likely heard in stories told prior, he mentioned the countless times that he has know couples who were trying to have a baby, however, couldn’t.  Then, once they finally let go of this “need” to become pregnant and adopted, the couples got pregnant.  In essences, “God can only give us what we want when we don’t need it.”

Going back to our time yesterday, “useful BUT not necessary” and “God can only give us what we want when we don’t need it!”, I personally suffer from a “need to know the plan”.   God has been training me in the area “a plan is useful BUT not necessary!” for some time now.   I then could likely run down the entire list my friend mentioned with “clarity, financial security, meaningful work,” and others relating the same; “_____ useful BUT not necessary!”  “Only TRUST IN GOD is BOTH useful AND necessary!”  Wow, was that every a confirmation of what I need to hear.  Was this God’s guidance or not?  I’ll let you be the judge.  

So, how about you, fill in the blank:  “______ is useful BUT not necessary!”  And then, can you acknowledge that “Only TRUST IN GOD is BOTH useful AND necessary”?