Tuesday of Week Five
Allowing God to Drive
“Do not worry 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 minds in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6-7
Peace, peace is illusive, especially when you are searching for it in a world of uncertainty. I finally started experiencing peace when I put my full trust in God. That was a big step. It meant stepping back and allowing God to work in my life, bringing his will into fruition.
That is what happened to me in 1991. When I allowed God to take control, it was nothing short of miraculous. Time and time again God showed up and I watched. As the years passed by, my heart and mind were transformed into a place of peace.
One example of this was in 2015 while on staff at Crowley United Methodist Church on the southside of Fort Worth. The position itself did not give me peace, rather, it was a royal pain. The job was affecting my health, I was gaining weight, life was simply yucky.
One day, out of the clear blue, the LORD, yes that Lord, spoke to me, and said “go home (Houston).” It was so clear and strong. I said, “OK.” I didn’t have a job or a place to live, but I was packing up and heading south. I called Sandy, my best friend of 50 years, in Houston and told her what God had said. She responded calmly, “OK.” She then told her sister-in-law, Mary Angela, in Galveston. Mary Angela called and offered me a place to live until I found a job. I took her up on her offer.
For the next year I searched and searched for a job. NOTHING! I only had two interviews in one year, but I was not troubled or worried. My cousin kept telling me that God was preparing the right job for me. Exactly one year to the day from when I moved to Galveston, I was down to my last one hundred dollars! I prayed. I reminded God I was working hard on my end job hunting and I hoped that he was doing the same. I prayed, “God, I only have one hundred dollars to my name!” I didn’t understand what was going on or why it was taking so long, but I chose to trust in God’s initial calling to go to Houston.
The next morning a friend sent me a job lead for a ministry in Bellville/Houston that was perfect for me. I immediately emailed the Executive Director, who called me back within two hours, had my first interview the following week, my second interview the week after that, and started my job the following week. There I stayed for the next four years. No, I did not understand why it all happened that way, but I trusted and found peace in that trust. I later found out that the ministry’s board had approved my position the day before when I had prayed. God was working to prepare that job for me.
That peace is available to you too – if you only trust HIM!
Author: Mary Nell Partin
Personal Reflection:
Can you recall a time when God’s invitation was loud, but required patience in trust? Although uncomfortable in the situation, how has God’s providence given you peace through the years?
Daily Action:
Encourage someone by letting them know that you are praying for them and that God is with them.
