Not My Choice

A brother in our faith community said something profoundly simple, “its not the church I would have chosen”. I believe there are few people that can understand the complexity in that statement. This should be the first half of a statement of true obedience in Christ. How often can we honestly say, “I knew where God was placing me the entire time”. I would be a liar and a fool if I were to claim that I was even a small fraction of the things God is doing. I can only make guesses in hindsight to a small portions of instances. Sometimes not even then. And when I do make guesses they tend only to be partially correct. They are many times much more complex than we care to admit.

The end of the statement, although churchy, should be, “but I am exactly in the right place”. When I thing of the decisions that I have made. The ones that I based on what I though was right, more pleasing, or easier have seldom turned out to be of lasting value. The decisions that have been made counter to ease and pleasing have been far more valuable when aligned with what God commands. Being a Father is hard. It is harder when done the way God expects. The value that God gives when done the right way far out weights any reward you can think. Leading my family is hard, much harder when done the right way. The rewards when doing the hard things make for such a blessing that you never knew existed.

This life I have lived is and has never been all that I ever wanted, but it has definitely been all I needed. Because I trust in Christ and want his leading then this life has become all I have ever wanted. I want the things that he wants because I know they are not empty calories. I know he provides the substance. The things that I didn’t want before I find myself wanting now. Are they comfortable, no. Are the easy, no. Will they bless and fulfill me beyond measure, absolutely. Will it look like what I think it will look like? Not in a million years.