"Looking For Rocks?"

"Looking For Rocks?"

Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Good Morning!
Once again I had planned on a topic last night for today's devotional but the Lord gave me a new passage this morning to share. I can relate to this passage because I was going through a time in my life only about a year ago when I felt like it was "time" to take action and I prayed for the resources I needed to do that right away! Little did I know that the Lord had other plans for me and it didn't turn out bad after all. God used the hardship to mold me into the person that He had wanted me to be all along but I just wouldn't have been that person on my own. I had to be coaxed into it. Have you ever experienced a time when things just wouldn't change no matter how hard you tried?

I once heard that it takes twenty-one days to form or break a habit. It was said that we break a bad habit by replacing it with a good habit! Hmm? Isn't it likely that God is in on this secret too? He made us after all! he said He loved us before the earth ever was! I think God knows exactly what it takes to mold us into His useful child and I believe it means we don't always get what we want when we want it!

What was it that I wanted that I couldn't have about a year ago? Well, believe it or not, it was rocks! Yes, that's right, I wanted rocks and no mater how hard I searched I couldn't find one rock that I could use for my mission. Instead He allowed me to mourn all alone because I was powerless without my rocks, I was defenceless, if that's a word!

Have you ever wanted to just throw a rock at someone or through their window in defence of yourself? Of course, I don't mean literally throwing rocks! I mean to have something that you can attack someone with when they are doing you wrong! When they are taking advantage of your situation and even the justice system seems to be supporting them? I'm sure if you are a single parent, you have been in this situation at least once. It's a very very uncomfortable situation to be in!
Well, how well did you handle it? Did you start trying to gather stones as I did at first? Did you mourn your loses? Did you feel broken by your attackers? I did!

Let's read a couple of verses written by Solomon about life and his experience as the wisest man that ever lived,
Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Ecc 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Ecc 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

I was shocked that this could happen to a man that was trying to live right; trying to be a good father and who was working so hard to have the money to get my child the lessons and things I felt she needed!

Guess what? God wanted something else for my life and it took time for me to realize it! It actually took me about three weeks before I realized that I could make it without the extra money that was now coming out of my check! I won't say how much but it was about 25% of my check after taxes and insurance. Whoa! I could barely tithe before! How could I make it now? Guess what? God changed my habits! Before I felt I needed to have allot of things for my child but I found out that my child needed other things like talking ( free), walking through the park( free), canoeing at Shelly Lake( $3), swimming at Pullen Aquatic Center( $4 total), making a bunk bed for her dolls together for ($11), (boy was that an interesting project) sitting down in front of the whiteboard while she taught Jake and I, math,science and Spanish (cost-1 hour); camping out on Carolina Beach ($10 a day); a reciprocating relationship that says "I care about you" "I love you"! (priceless)

God knew exactly what He was doing when he hid all of my rocks! If i had any ammo to fight back with I may have kept her in the classes and activities like most of the population but God wanted to change my habits! God had something much more rewarding in store for me! How about you? Is God allowing you to experience changes that you can't understand, maybe even fighting it as hard as you can? Do you feel like it is impossible to win in a situation that your dealing with?

Maybe it's time to give in and ask God to show you what He wants you to see! maybe you need to just be still for a while and listen for that voice to guide you! Not for the whole game plan but for the next step!

Life is like a football game in some ways! We feel like we need to be scoring touchdowns every day in our success oriented society or we are losers. That's not how the game is played though. It is won by gaining just a few yards every day! Some days you will gain a few yards. Some days you'll get a first down. Some days your going to get that touchdown! Remember though, some days your going to fumble BUT you can get back up and get ready for the next play because it's not one play that determines the game! It's the way you played the entire game day by day. It seems allot easier when we go for three yards but it is this frame of mind that we'll allow God to work in our lives and change our habits to make us even better.

Remember to entreat God for favor in His sight! Ask Him what His preference is and He will do what is best for you!

A few weeks later when I finally stopped looking for rocks He was able to start showing me the reason that it wasn't time to gather rocks! It was a time to cast away stones; a time to love; a time for peace! Selah.