We just lost our fifth contract on our house. Fifth. Typically, the buyers have been people who thought they could afford it, but in the end really couldn’t, but this one was different…this one we really thought would be “it.” When we moved to North Carolina a year and a half ago, it was obvious to us that God brought us here. Every step of the way we asked for His clear guidance, and every step of the way, He clearly provided for us to be here. We knew we had an older home in Florida that we were leaving behind and trying to sell and that it’s quirky layout would make things a bit more challenging, but we also knew God was for us, and He was directing our steps, and that that direction was out of Florida and to North Carolina, so He would overcome that quirky, old house obstacle for us, right? So what went wrong?
The short answer is nothing went wrong, it’s just that none of those times have been what’s right.
But if you are doing everything you can do, and following what you are certain is God’s will, and still there are things happening that you don’t understand or can’t explain, what then?
Well, I don’t claim to have the wisdom of Solomon, but I can share with you some of the things God has been sharing with me.
First, it goes without saying, you need to be near to God to know His will. James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts you double-minded.” We draw near to God by reading His word. His word is living and active and will change us, but it’s also how we learn about the character of God – how He works in and through our lives. It’s easier to see that the things that are happening that we don’t understand are all part of His plan and will all be worked for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Maybe the “right” house for us here in NC isn’t on the market yet. Maybe God has work for us to do with our neighbors in our rental community. I don’t know what it is that is keeping our FL house from selling, but I know there will be some good worked out of it. And before I move on, I think it’s also important not to neglect the second part of this verse. We need to confess our sins regularly before God and keep our hearts pure; Jesus needs to be our Lord, not any of the other gazillion things every day that compete for His place in importance.
Did you know there are 13 times in the Old Testament when God’s people are commanded to “be strong and courageous” in the face of hard things. Lest you think that was “just for them,” 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, “Stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong.” God really brought me to these verses in a literal way. My small Bible study group is going thorough Joshua (where 4 of the OT “Be strong and courageous” references come from) and a dear friend just gave me a small thank you gift that had 1 Corinthians 16:13 on it. I guess God is trying to tell me something! Be strong and courageous when things don’t seem easy. God’s got your back. Or actually, God will fight the battle for you. He will bring it to pass, but it will be in His timing, which is not usually in line with our own. I’m not going to lie to you and say I didn’t have a weak moment with one of my small group members where the weight of several things, the house being one of them, got to me and I was disappointed (okay, I was just shy of a hot mess), but even then I knew God’s got this…I just was really disappointed that the contract was falling though, yet again, within days of closing. But after my private chat with her, I was over it, and that ability to bounce back was not because of anything of my own doing, but because of God working in me. A member of my Precept study the next night remarked that I was an inspiration to her because, in spite of all the difficult things going on in my life, I always have a smile one my face and am positive. She clearly missed my “hot mess” moment, but the truth is that God commands us to be strong and courageous. It’s not a suggestion. So that’s what I want to do. That’s what I strive for, even when I don’t understand why things are going the way they are.
Next, have someone who can hold you accountable. It’s very easy when things are going badly to develop a bad attitude or get depressed and let all that pull you away from God. And if step one is to draw near to Him, we definitely don’t’ want to drift away. Isolation makes drifting easier. You need to have someone or a group of people who can hold you accountable and keep you focused on God even when His plan isn’t clear, or isn’t going the way you thought it would. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that “Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” And Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.” Not only do we sharpen each other’s faith when we hold each other accountable, but we fulfill the law of Christ when we bear each other’s burdens. Jesus TOLD us to help each other. You can’t do that if you are all alone. And you can’t get help if you are all alone. And when God’s plans seem unclear or different than you thought they would be, you may need others to help you. They will remind you of His faithfulness in times past. They will point you to His word when you need encouragement. And (very important for me) they will allow you a safe place to “vent” and not negate your witness to the world ).
Finally, remember one of my favorite verses, Isaiah 26:3, “The steadfast of mind, You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” Trust in God. He sees the big picture. Even though it seems all convoluted to us, He sees it clearly. Think of the story of Joseph. Joseph got thrown in a hole, sold into slavery, and carted off to Egypt, all because his brothers were jealous of Him. That doesn’t seem like the plan God was revealing to him through the visions he had had. Or the future he thought he was going to have based on his father’s favoritism, does it? But then God prospered him in Egypt, and he became very prominent. And then BAM! Back in jail for being righteous. Wait, what??? He did the right thing and ended up in jail? But, yes, it’s true. And he sat there for a long, long time. And He was faithful to God. And with the help of God he interpreted visions, but even that didn’t get him out at first. And then one day, the pharaoh had a dream, and Joseph was summoned. And he rose to the position of second most powerful person in the land. And he saved his family from starvation (the very ones who sold him into slavery). But WHO could have seen all that? Who could have imagined THAT was how God’s plan was going to go? Yet, through that story, we see all the things above. Joseph studied God’s word as a boy, and stayed near to God as a man. He was strong and courageous, even in the face of false accusations and unjust imprisonment. He lacked being surrounded with fellow believers, but we see his BROTHERS reach out for help. They know their circumstances are beyond them, and they seek the help of others, and in this case that other turns out to be their brother, and their family is restored. And we see that Joseph and Jacob trusted God and God provided, but in His own way and His own time.
So as I sit here, wishing my house would sell and, I’ll admit, growing weary of paying for two houses and two water bills and two power bills and for the grass to be mowed at a house I don’t live in, I keep my eyes fixed in God, and I know that He has a purpose for the delay. I know he has given us perfect provision for this time to be able to afford to do this. I know that someday I will look back and see that it has all worked out for the good. That if it had sold right away something else would never have been able to happen that will happen now because of the delay. So I draw near to Him and His word, I stand strong and courageous in the face of disappointment, I meet with my dear sisters in Christ every week to hold myself accountable…but most of all I trust. I trust God, and I know that He will keep me in perfect peace because of that. I know that He has this. I know He brought us here, and I know He won’t leave me or forsake me and He doesn’t want me in debt, and He will provide, and so I trust.