Idols
by adustyframe ~ November 11th, 2008Last night, I was working on a Bible study I started long ago. I was doing Kay Arthur’s Finding Hope When Life Seems Dark quite awhile ago, but set it aside for other studies.
I was reading Hosea last night to work on the study some more. A few of the verses had to do with idols.
I thought about idols-you know stone or wood IDOLS.
The Lord spoke quietly to my heart and I was struck with the realization that I have had made and idol out of Lee’s coming home.
When the Lord shows me something, I’m usually amazed and awestruck that he cares enough to show me things from his word. Then I’m usually ashamed at myself for not realizing it sooner.
It took me awhile to wrap my mind around it.
I have been holding up Lee’s homecoming as an idol in my heart.
I know that it’s ok to pray for it and to hope for it. I know that God desires us to be a complete family. I know that it’s his will that we have a strong marriage.
But I was wrapped up completely in wanting my own way that instead of praying for God’s will to be done, I was pushing for my own agenda.
It was hard to pray that God’s will be done. “What if God’s will is 3 more years?” (or 6 months, or 10 weeks.) It’s all too long for me. I want this to be over.
So while those feelings are normal, my heart was not where it needed to be.
I need to depend on God and lean on his strength and grace no matter how long it takes for Lee to come home.
In Jan Karon’s At Home in Mitford books Father Tim says there is a prayer that never fails.
Do you know what that prayer is?
“Thy will be done.”
November 12th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I can see that would be very easy to do. It is easy to exalt His gifts above Himself. I’ll be praying for His grace for you however long it takes.
November 12th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I hope you’ll forgive me, I’m not really commenting on this particular post, but the whole blog. And while I’ll try not to be long winded, I would like to thank you.
You see, today’s the first day I stumbled across your blog. Today is also my anniversary. I’ve been sitting here for most of the day at work, thinking about how distant I feel from the man I married. I’ve been wondering for some time now if perhaps I didn’t love him like I should. I reasoned that surely something must be wrong, otherwise the small stuff (and by that I mean everything he does) wouldn’t get to me like it has.
Then, God, in His infinite wisdom, brought me here. He knew I needed to read your story. I needed to be reminded that love is less an emotion, and more an action. I’ve spent several hours (at work no less), reading about your life. And I’d like to thank you for the courage it took to share, and I’d like to thank you for your faithfulness to God. I cried through most of it, hoping my coworkers wouldn’t see. Your words and character were that touching.
And while I won’t be so drastic as to say that God used your words to save my marriage, I will say that he used your testimony to convict me that I’m not doing all I need to do to be my husband’s helper. And to tell me that perhaps, things are not as dark as they had seemed.
Mandy,
First of all, thank you for letting me know you found me.
Your comments made ME cry!
I’ve had a long rough week and God knew I needed YOUR encouragement.
Sharing our story has not been easy for me, and yet God has shown himself faithful through this blog and the friends I’ve made here.
I’m so blessed that God was able to use anything I’ve shared to encourage you.
((hugs)) God is more than able to restore your marriage!
Please hang around!
November 12th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
It never fails, and often times, it’s the hardest one to pray! In my situation, it has taken me a long time to pray “Thy will be done” instead of “Do it my way cause I know it’s Your way too!” As if! Luckily His ways are higher than ours!
You’re right! It’s a very difficult prayer to pray–it’s hard to take our hands off isn’t it?