Externally Processing My Way Through Life

I feel so blessed today.

I've been going through something recently and felt really convicted in our small group last night that I needed to tell someone. So I did, mainly to ask for prayer about an answer I was waiting for.

A sweet friend unexpectedly came over to pray over/for me, and about the answer. Not even five minutes after she left I got a call about the answer, with the outcome we had been praying for. How awesome is that?

I love how quickly and obviously God chooses to at times show Himself. I also am in awe of how at specific moments He shows you just how big and awesome His love is and that it's specific for you and what you are going through.

Last night in small group we worked through Acts 4:23-37. In that passage we went over three important things the disciples did that we should try to replicate in our own live on a consistent basis, but most importantly in times of crisis and difficulty.

The disciples had just been thrown in jail and threatened by the rulers of their province, and upon their release the first thing the did was to gather other believers and pray. And not praying for supplication and protection, but adoring God and acknowledging who He was and asking for His will to be done.

Also through their prayer they acknowledged God's sovereignty. That He was sovereign over their being in jail, and sovereign over their being threatened and sovereign over their release, so they would continue to proclaim His name and sovereignty.

Finally they experienced gospel community. Giving to one another as one had need and no one in their midst was needy. I imagine "needy" doesn't just mean financially, but emotionally as well. And it wasn't without sacrifice this happened. People had to give of themselves and their possessions to make it happen.

So with those three points the question was asked: in what area do you most struggle with? Immediately going to God in prayer, acknowledging His sovereignty over the situation, or being willing to give of yourself and your resources for the sake of gospel community?

I think there are several facets of each that you could struggle with but I think my top two are prayer and sovereignty. I'm an external processor, so when something happens my immediate response is to call Chris, or a friend, or blog about it while only mentioning it to God briefly or in passing. I want my first reaction to be to go to Him and have those long deep externally processing conversations and then to go to His word and allow Him to guide me to His wisdom and answers.

Also, I think when difficulty arises all too often my first response is "why me"? Matt Chandler has inspired me so much in that area and given me a picture of what real life faith looks like. I want my immediate response to be "why not me"? and to be that of acknowledging God's sovereignty in the situation and understanding His glory will be achieved through it or He wouldn't have allowed it to happen. I want to "suffer well".

So much to work on. So thankful I have a savior that is with me every step of the way, occasionally reminding me of His very steady presence by my side.