faith

Yesterday morning, we found out that my husband's company was being bought out. Suddenly our future wasn't quite as sure as we thought it was. Our Master Plan for the next 5 years was suddenly irrelevant.
His department is now redundant.
Would he be laid off?
Would he be transferred?
Where?
Should he look for a new job now?
Should we wait it out?

At lunch, there was a meeting and it sounds like his job is secure for at least another year, so we have some time to explore options. (Sigh of relief.)

I wish I could say that I spent the day in a peaceful state of not worrying, praying and surrendering our future to God, being the very personification of Philippians 4:6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

There was no peace beyond understanding for me yesterday. Instead, I was worrying over different possibilities, trying to anticipate what would happen and in general getting way ahead of myself and – as a result – I pretty much spent the day biting my nails, unable to concentrate and feeling vaguely sick to my stomach.

I know that our future is in the hands of God alone. Every Master Plan item we put on our family spreadsheet (Yes, we have a Master Plan on a spreadsheet with goals and such. Shut up. ) Despite our Type A-Planner tendencies, we also fully realize that every goal and activity on our Master Plan sheet is totally out of our control. We have no way of knowing what will happen next year, next month or next hour. Are we trusting ourselves for our future? Or God?

This was a huge reminder of that.

I need to give up on my Master Plan and let God work out His.

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
   but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.."
Proverbs 19:21

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
   you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
   a broken and contrite heart
   you, God, will not despise.

Psalm 51: 16-17

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

–Reinhold Niebuhr

"The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him… We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy."

Daniel 9: 9, 18

Wait for the LORD;
   be strong and take heart
   and wait for the LORD.

Psalm 27:14

Yesterday my husband and the team he went to Haiti with shared in church about their experience there. It was amazing, as you can imagine. They shared a lot about a group of refugees they met, who were from Port au Prince, who had been living on this mountain under a giant, partially destroyed parachute for almost a year. They were out of food. So the men on the trip pooled all of their pocket money and bought them as much rice and beans as they could. When they delivered it, the men on the trip sang a hymn, How Great Thou Art, for the people there. And were moved when the people spontaneously responded with the same hymn in Creole:

Just something for you to mull over this morning.

O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all
The works Thy Hand hath made,
I see the stars,
I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy pow’r throughout
The universe displayed;

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!

When through the woods
And forest glades I wander
I hear the birds
Sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down
From lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook
And feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come,
With shouts of acclamation,
And take me home,
What joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow
In humble adoration
And there proclaim,
“My God, how great Thou art!”

Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!
How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul,
My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art!

“My son if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding… Then you will understand what is right and just and fair-  every good path.” 

Proverbs 2: 1-3, 9