Have you ever tried to do something that seemed like a good idea and no matter how hard you tried it just did not work???

Have you ever pushed and pulled, tugged and yanked, poked and prodded, bended and lifted and what ever that something is just would not do what you wanted it to?

Have you ever tried to get something done but the more effort you put into it the more stressed out you seemed to get about it?

I tend to believe that if you try hard enough you ultimately get what you are trying to get….

I tend to believe that there are some things that are worth fighting for…

I tend to believe that there are good things we have to work hard and wait for…

I am also learning that if it seems like you keep meeting resistance then maybe you need to reevaluate what it is you are trying to do and why.

I am in NO WAY suggesting that if the going gets tough, quit…I am saying, however, that life shouldn’t always be about the battle either…

God is the giver of good gifts…His plan for my life, and for my children, is good but not promised to be easy or trial free (read my other Blog posts if you think my life is a piece of cake as a Christ follower😉).

Sometimes, as I trust Him, He seems to clear the pathway ahead me so neatly…with each step I take.

Other times, I think I may be throwing down my own litter that obstructs the view of the road He is cleaning…

I see certain options as good.

I see there are certain paths that I or my children can take that could be great….if it worked out.

BUT is that my plan for us or His?

When I try to force a plan into action, even with the best intentions in mind, and it just doesn’t seem to want to work no matter how hard I try, how hard I push, how hard I finagle, or what angle I try to approach from next

THEN MAYBE THAT ISN’T THE DIRECTION I SHOULD GO.

Seems pretty obvious, huh?

Yet, it isn’t is it?

If it were, we would all stop striving for something that was never ours to grasp and actually reach for what God’s plan is for us… A plan that will surpass our imaginations because He knows us better than we know ourselves!

How do I know I am stepping out onto a trail off of the path the Lord has for me?

THERE IS NO PEACE IN IT.

There is turmoil.

There is unrest.

There is stress.

There is worry.

And there is that still small voice, behind all the noise that is trying to confuse me, saying “Trust Me in this…don’t try so hard…relax….trust Me”.

What do I do?

I normally keep pushing…trying so desperately to make my plan work.

I call it trying to fit a triangle peg into a square hole.

It’s not gonna work Amy.

Normally, one of two things happen.

1. I get my way and I am still not happy. There is still no peace. There is still unrest. There is still turmoil.

Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Does the saying “be careful what you wish for because you just might get it” sound familiar to anyone???

2. One more hurdle gets in my way and I finally throw my hands up and submit to the Lord that this is not working what does HE want me to do.

Guess what? On that day (which was yesterday for me and my household) there is peace.

I finally feel at rest about our situation.

I finally feel excited for our son’s future.

I finally a sense of calm that the Lord is holding us in His hand and will continue to care for us, provide for us, shelter us…as long as we continue to trust and obey Him.

James 1:22 gives an incredible reminder to not just listen to (or read) God’s Word. We must do what it says. Otherwise, we are only fooling ourselves.

Be doer’s of the Word…not just hearer’s….because

If you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, THEN GOD WILL BLESS YOU FOR DOING IT.

Frankly, there is no greater blessing in my life then experiencing the peace that passes all understanding.

I sleep better at night with it.