One of my favorite days for the last several years is a women’s conference at Mount Pleasant. My friend Ashley first introduced me and we’ve gone back every year since. It’s just a sweet time of worship and hearing from God. I walked away with so many things to consider and write about. It will definitely result in more than one blog post. But this is where I’ve landed for today.
Christy is always one of the keynote speakers. She told us about her fear of driving on bad roads and how she had prayed for nine months that there wouldn’t be any weather events (i.e., SNOW/ICE) for the conference. She got home from the church Friday evening and abruptly went to her bed and laid down and sobbed. By that time, a fair amount of snow had already fallen and it didn’t seem to be slowing down. She was angry with God and told Him as much. Saturday morning came and the roads weren’t great. How many ladies would still come? The main speaker was coming from Cincinnati. Although I’m sure there were some who made the decision to stay home, she was thrilled that most still made the trip. Snow was NOT part of her ideal day. And when you factored in everything else she had going on (placing an aging parent in long-term care, etc.), it just seemed so unfair that God would allow this thing she had prayed so fervently about.
But God. Those have become two of my favorite words. (Maybe even a new tattoo.) God also heard the prayers of someone else. Erica had planned a trip to Wisconsin to see family; so she hadn’t registered for the conference. When the weather became a potential concern, the decision was made to stay home; this presented the opportunity to attend. With each and every speaker and worship set, Erica heard over and over so many things she needed to hear from God. So many divine appointments. But if the snow hadn’t come, she wouldn’t have been there.
How many times have I prayed and asked God for things based on my own finite understanding? When have I raised my fist and my voice at him questioning His ways? Or maybe I threw myself on the floor like a toddler having a temper tantrum.
I desperately need shalom ~ PEACE. Not just peace like the world thinks of it. But God’s peace. It passes understanding. It fills in the gaps. It defies rationale.
Paul, John, Isaiah, David, Solomon, and Jeremiah all write about this peace. Peace comes when we trust the One who we’re surrendered to. It frees us to simply rest and worship.
None of this means we won’t still have moments of questioning or even wrestling with God. Those will definitely still happen. And to quote a line from The Chosen today (thanks, Peter): “It’s not wrong to question. It’s wrong to not accept the answer”. We are not God. His plans and His purposes are so far beyond our comprehension. And even though Christy may not have understood it, God decided snow was what needed to happen.
Philippians 4:6-7 ~ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesu