So, how’s everyone’s week been? Par usual, mine has been busy. Sadly, that seems to be the norm lately. It’s not bad–in fact, I’ve been really thankful for how things have been going. I think I’ve told y’all that I’m in the middle of reading The Sacred Six by J.B. Glossing and I’ve been applying some of those principles. It’s amazing how productive I can be when I just have six things on my to do list at a time.
As I’ve said before, I’m working my way through the companion study my husband and I wrote that goes with my new book To Push on the Rock (hopefully getting published some time this year!) as a way to just see how it works on a practical level. One of the things I’m doing is reading through the verses in the footnotes. I came across this verse last week: Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said (NIV).
I’m sure we’re all familiar with the story of Moses and the plagues. This verse fits in after the frogs and before the gnats. The same scenario is repeated over and over throughout the plague chapters–Pharaoh refuses to let the Israelites go, God sends a plague, Pharaoh relents, God relents, Pharaoh refuses to obey. I’ve heard and read the story dozens of times. The thing that hit me this time was that Pharaoh doesn’t obey when things are good.
I don’t know about you, but I have less trouble relying on God when things are going badly. There’s no chance that I can manage the situation on my own. I’m far less prone to ask God for empowerment in the middle of something that’s going well. But that’s not how life with Jesus is supposed to work. We’re supposed to live by the Spirit when things are going badly and when they’re going well (Gal. 5:16-24). It’s just as vital for us to be trusting, surrendered, centered, connected to God, and engaged with all of ourself and what’s going on around us when things are going well.
I have a friend who was recently talking about how if we gave God our best, we could do/live incredible things. God does incredible things with our falling apart, worst moments, but how awesome would it be to see what He does with our best? What could we accomplish when we’re surrendered and living out of the essence of who we are when thing aren’t falling apart?
