No, no! I don’t want to go!  That is what my heart has cried out to the Lord more times than I can count.  Inevitably, it has become a goal for me to discipline the obstinant girl inside of me that doesn’t want to walk the path the Lord has marked out for me.  I know in my head that God’s ways are always better. But He takes me outside of my comfort zone.  Does God ever ask you to do or say things you don’t want to do?

So here I am writing from the rubble.  The world’s wisdom says that I should have my act together by now.  From the depths of my soul my heart responds to the lie.  “Would you be quiet? Don’t you know the truth? God uses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise.”

No one really wants to be on display for all the world to see.  There’s a lot of pressure to perform instead of just be.  God wants me to BE STILL and know that He is God.  God wants me to trust Him.  He wants those things for all of us.

Someone close to me criticized me last week.  The words wielded at me were intended to wound and unfortunately they hit the mark.  With tears in my eyes I said, “I know who I am.  I’m God’s Girl.  I am known and loved. He doesn’t expect me to be perfect.  I am God’s handiwork, His work is perfect.”  It helps me to say the truth out loud.  It irritated the person who was criticizing me.  But that doesn’t matter because I know the plans God has for me. He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me.  God has plans to give me hope and a future.  Bring it LORD!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27