Welcome to Wilco Wednesday! If you are a new around these parts, “Wilco” is Army-speak for “Will Comply.” Think of it as saying “Roger, God. Got it. Will do.” So that is what Wednesday here at 7 Days Time is all about– exploring his decrees and seeking guidance for what complying with Him looks like in everyday life. The best part? He loves us for who we are, not what we do. Remember: He doesn’t want perfection, just obedience. Joining us today is my dear, wonderful, beautiful and encouraging friend Kristen. Share. Enjoy. Interact. And let’s respond to God’s call with a hearty “Wilco, Lord!”
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My mother use to lovingly call me Eeyore, as in Winnie the Pooh’s gloomy detachable-tailed donkey friend. A cautious optimist from childhood, I can worry with the best of them over things yet not happened.
Perhaps the most devastating aspect I carried with me to adulthood was not the outwardly visible worrying, but the warped perspective about my importance to God. Not that God didn’t love me, but how much love I felt I deserved in relation to how important I felt others should be loved and cared for by Him because I’ll be honest, I was born to an upper middle class American Christian family. I’m not impoverished, parent-less, abandoned, truly on the battlefields of faith, my life is not daily threatened by the bible sitting on my nightstand. So I struggled with obedience to God’s plan because I failed to see how I really played a part in God’s plan.
Obedience is a response to faith, faith a response to trust and trust a response to a loving relationship.
I asked God to show me how I mattered to Him, I prayed over Psalm 139 daily for a year, until it was planted on my heart that I matter to Him and have mattered from before my own beginning. His love is unconditional and not a zero-sum game that His love for me somehow takes away His ability to pour out His love on others.
As He transformed my heart I looked to other ways He had proven Himself in my life; God loves to make promises to His people because of His ability to perfectly keep them. Trust looks to the past history of actions, to the fulfillment of His promises in my life. Faith looks forward to promises of the future.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” ~Hebrews 11:1
The ultimate faith chapter of Hebrews 11 goes on to tell of the giants of biblical faith and ends with verses 39 & 40“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”
WAIT, WHAT?! NONE of them!?!?! Each got to be a part of the whole, without them the story isn’t complete, but they had to give up something for us all to gain – SELF. Not giving themselves up to just anyone, to obey God is to place your whole life in His hands as a living sacrifice.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
I want to know God’s will, purpose, dreams, plans for my life, to make a difference for Jesus. Practically, this means a lot of waiting on the Lord. Being strong, taking heart, studying His word, allowing Him to shape my character daily to be pleasing to Him, and waiting on His prompting. It also practically looks hard to be a willing sacrifice, to willingly walk toward pain and suffering if asked. Like Joshua asking the tribes to place memorial stones to remember the Jordan stopping and God’s provision, I have to write down the faithful acts of God in my life so when I struggle I can not only look to biblical examples, but I look to my own history with God.
My remembrances look like me asking God to go study overseas for my fourth year of college with most of my classmates, and God saying no, me being mad and rebelling – God brought me my husband that year.
I pleaded with God “Lord please don’t deploy my husband before our first wedding anniversary,” and God answered “I am sending him out.” We became debt free that year with the extra income and each gained a deeper dependence on God alone instead of each other.
More recently it’s looked like “God we’re ready for a family, I want to be a mother and despite my infertility diagnosis, military medicine can make it happen.” The Lord said “No, you will wait on me, you will pursue adoption, you be willing to lay down all your savings and more for it, and you will still trust me if the answer to motherhood is always no.”
I don’t know the end to this story, but I am sustained at the promise having my obedience be part of His eternal story. I have never been more peaceful in my spirit, joyful in all circumstances and humbled by the glimpses He gives me of playing a part in His plan. Trust in Him who is faithful to keep His promises with all your heart, He will direct your paths; He will never leave you or forsake you.
God is calling us to trust Him, to see Him even when our tail is detached and it begins to rain. God is calling us to be so much more than Eeyore.
Friends, in what area(s) of your life is God calling you to be more than Eeyore? Join in the conversation and leave a comment below.
“So is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” ~Isaiah 55:11
Kristen Clarke is an army wife, servant-less american cook and baker, avid coffee drinker and dark chocolate consumer, natural born Washingtonian, historical fiction reader, lover of travel, small craft/sewing business owner and homemaker.
Linking up today with my friend Kristin over at Three-word Wednesday and having a little Coffee for your Heart with Holley. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
