October 10, 2024
This has been a tough week for several reasons. Unexpected change is hard for me. I like to know what to expect and when to expect it. I only wish life worked that way but sadly it doesn’t. I don’t mean any of this to sound trivial, but this has just been life lately.
The last couple of weeks there have been all sorts of unexpected changes. Last Friday, Wayne had surgery and he has another scheduled for November. There are some changes happening at work. There have been unexpected changes at home. Unexpected changes in finances, And I could go on and on.
I decided to come to work early this week since it is fall break and I don't have to run carpool. Of course, I got to work too early, the building was not unlocked, and my key would not work. I sat in the car for a minute and then thought, "I’ll just have to wait for someone to unlock the door."
I am totally amazed at how God knew that time was just what I needed to regroup my thoughts. I just sat quietly for about 45 minutes. In the quiet, God settled my spirit, calmed my heart, eased my anxieties, and assured me HE was still in control.
One of the hardest things for me is when unexpected things happen. I don’t know how to fix them, and in turn, I feel overwhelmed and out of control. God spoke to my heart sitting in the car and He reminded me of all the ways He has taken care of me. HE is always in control, not me. For that I am thankful.
The definition of regroup is to “stop and prepare yourself before you continue doing something that is difficult.” I think we all can say life is difficult. I heard once that you are either coming out of a difficult situation, in a difficult situation, or about to enter a difficult situation. That is life.
God reminded me in those quiet moments in the car that I do not face any situation alone. He is always there and He is always in control. As I sat and saw the sun coming up, I could not help but think about Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you, He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
God reminded me while I was “regrouping” that He will take care of all of us while we are in difficult, unexpected, or changing situations. We just have to stop (be still), prepare (pray), and trust that He is going before us through any and all of our difficulties. He can accomplish so much more when we surrender ourselves than we can accomplish trying to control the situation. As I sat there in the car, I was reminded that God has control, not me. It helped me to reset my mind.
The definition of reset is “to set, adjust, or fix in a new or different way”. I immediately thought of the song “God Will Make a Way.”
God will make a way when there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
HE WILL MAKE A WAY
There will be a way, but you or I will never make the best way by taking control. Only God will. God will work it out when we can't even see past the difficulties. He is always doing something behind the scenes in our lives. God has a purpose and a plan.
I don’t know how or when or what, but I can trust that God is up to something new as he regroups my thoughts and resets my mind. My job is to stop, listen, pray and trust. God is there! Life has not always turned out the way I expected it to, but God has never let me down. He wants to take my unexpected situations – I just have to put my expectations in HIM. Isaiah 43:19 says “See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Spend some quiet time with God – regroup your thoughts and reset your mind. Sit in your car if you need to, but just make sure you spend some time with God.
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
