The 2017 computer-animated biblical adventure film, The Star, is based on the nativity of Jesus. The central character is a young donkey named Bo (voice of Steven Yuen) On their way to Bethlehem to pay taxes, a pregnant Mary (voice of Gina Rodriguez) make’s this profound comment to her husband, Joseph (voice of Zachary Levi): “Just because God has a plan doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy”
Sometimes it seems the Lord leads us in life down a path that can’t possibly be His will. Many times it’s tough to know what to do next. What do you do when the life God has promised you looks nothing like the life God has given you? Avoiding God’s will only finds us running in circles.
In
seasons of seemingly inescapable despair, the Lord wants us to turn to Him
rather than ourselves. As we wait on the Lord, we cling to His promise that He waits with
us and will provide for us for our
Heavenly Father hears our
prayers and God sees our needs.
The
difficult will of God also includes the presence of God, and His comfort. God hears. God sees. This
is the reason for trusting Him even when circumstances offer no rational hope
for relief. Our faith is what sustains us, what gets
us through challenging times when we cannot see the light at the end of the
tunnel.
It is in those times that through our faith we trust that God must
have a a greater purpose to our suffering. Without that belief, we would have
nothing to get us through the dark night of the soul. There are certain steps
we can take to align with our faith to support us in navigating through our
challenges as effortlessly as possible.
1.
Accept where you are You may
not be in the ideal situation to face this calamity. You may not like the cards
that you have been dealt or understand why they have been dealt to you. However
going into a space of denial and resistance regarding your current situation
will not help matters. In fact, what you resist persists. The more you fight
against the very situation are facing, the longer you will have to endure it.
You may not deserve it. It may not be your fault but this is where you are.
This is what you are facing. Accept it so you can start moving through it.
This is
your starting point. Give up any preconceived notions about how things should
have gone and accept that this is where you are today. Once you can come to
grips with your current situation, then you’re able to surrender it to God and
begin to move forward.
2.
Be open to receive
guidance Pay attention and be aware. Notice any intuitive nudges or any
repetitive messages that you may encounter during your day. This is spirit
speaking to you. Notice it. Be open to it. Do not discount it. Many have heard
the story of a man who arrived in heaven after having drowned in a flood. The
man asked God, “Lord, why did you not save me?
I waited for you!” To which God replied, “I
sent you three boats!” Couched in humor, the message is to be open to
assistance arriving in all forms. Do not discount something just because it is
not what you expect. Sometimes the greatest blessings, the most amazing gifts,
come in the most unusual packages.
3.
Pray from a place of
power
Prayer is an important healing practice that helps us
not only to connect with the divine, but also to focus on our end goal. What is
the end result that you are seeking? Define it, imagine it, visualize it and
pray powerfully for it every day. Utilize your daily prayer time as a
demonstration of your faith.
Pray from a place of power as if your prayers
have already been answered. Use the power of your word to state your goal in
the present tense, as if it has already come to pass. Give thanks in each
prayer deeply and from the heart, overflowing with the gratitude for the
blessings that have been bestowed on you in the past, in the present and that
you know will be in the future. Pray from a place of power knowing that all
things are part of a greater plan which has your best and highest interests at
heart.
4.
Surrender it to God As anyone
who has been through tough times knows, while you are in the middle of a
struggle it is often not possible to even comprehend why it is happening to
you, let alone how you will survive the challenge physically, mentally and
emotionally. Common advice during these times is to just “Let go and let God.”
It is such an easy thing to say and yet is it really so simple? Our faith in
God is not a magic pill. It does not make all of our struggles, all of our
difficulties, disappear. It is through our faith that we come to understand
that there is a bigger plan which can only be seen from a much higher
perspective.
We must
trust that from that higher perspective sometimes what is in our long-term best
interest cannot be seen from our short term perspective. We may be feeling the
flames from the fire and wanting to jump out but we are unable to see that if
we jump at this moment we will only be moving into a situation that is even
worse.
Know that
there is a greater purpose, a greater plan. Your prayer might sound something
like this, “God, I accept the situation that I am in. I am ready to change it.
I release it to you God. I pray God for you to guide me. I submit to your
greater power to lead me through this.”
5.
Take guided action You must not only be open to receiving guidance but then
you must take action. Develop an action plan. Pray daily on that plan for
guidance and for the success of the plan. Take guided action daily, even a
small step each day toward your goal is a demonstration of your faith.
Action is
a demonstration of your faith in the ability of God to work great miracles in
your life, but you must be a participant. Respond to the intuitive guidance
that you receive through your actions and your behaviors. Take responsibility
for working with God and through God to create the change you need to see in
your life.
Trust in Him I truly
believe that all things happen for a reason. Even in my darkest hours I’ve
always known that God has a purpose. That purpose may not be convenient for me
at the time but I know am here to serve others as a servant of God. It is my
faith and my belief that all things are working together for the greatest and
highest good that have gotten me through my darker days.
When
going through struggles practice these steps of accepting your situation,
surrendering, praying powerfully, receiving guidance, taking action and
believing that the best is yet to come. Diligently practice these steps and the
sun will shine in your life again sooner than you think.
“If you are seeking to obey the
Lord, expect opposition. Expect obstacles. Expect difficulties. But also expect
God to see you through.” (Greg Laurie) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“5 Steps for Trusting in
God’s Plan During Difficult Times” by Dawn Demers
·
“How to Cope When the Will of God is Hard” by
Wayne Stiles
·
The Star (2017 film) from Wikipedia
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