Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I want to escape. I look at the mountain facing me or the life that is my life and say I can’t do this. I am not equipped. I don’t want to do this. I didn’t ask for this.
Recently my husband and I were in a front page article our local paper. I can emphatically say that there is no such thing Law of Attraction. If so I would be living a simple life as a school teacher with several children. No the truth is God orchestrates our lives. He knows what we are capable of. For me he’s the coach who says “this set is going to be a little harder, but you can do it. “ Sorry new age thinkers but you do not control your destiny by what you think.
It’s sort of like swimming practice. I go and I’m not sure what the workout will be. I do know that my coach Tom is going to push us and I will improve. I also know that it may be unpleasant but he isn’t an idiot, he will not give me a workout that will cause an injury. That’s how it is in the pool, and it’s similar with my head coach-God. He has said:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Rarely do I know what we are going to do in a swimming practice until I get there and do it. That’s really a good thing because if I knew that after 2000 yards of swimming we were going to do a terribly difficult set of say 10 x 100s on a breath robbing interval would I go? I doubt it. Maybe that’s the beauty of the unexpected twists, turns, ups and downs of our life. We just don’t know, but God does. In fact he knew before we were born:
“…All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. “ Psalm 139: 16
I’ve done enough of these swim sets to recognize that no matter how hard it is at the moment, that the moment does pass. You complete the set. You are stronger afterwards. You gain confidence. Life challenges are that way too. God sets the interval to a time and intensity you can handle. Right now I am living a life I didn’t expect and I’ve found comfort reading about Esther. I imagine she too didn’t expect the life she lived, but God knew what she was capable of. Next time when my mind is screaming “I’m afraid, I’m afraid.” I am going to reflect on the words from Esther 4:14…And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
Copyright © September, 2007 – Donna Dowell. All rights reserved.
