Reasoning

Hubby & I have prayed for a couple of things over the last few months. First that God would help us eventually move to a neighboring town. We go to church in that town, and we know many, many other families with kids who are the same age as our girls. Second that God would help hubby with a troubling situation at work. His employer was courting Planned Parenthood of Iowa as a client, and he would've been the one who serviced the account.

What we didn't consider, until now, is that this job loss might be an answer to one or both of those prayers. In order to move to the neighboring town...in the near future...hubby would have to earn a little more money. Hubby also did not want to be put in the position of managing an account with Planned Parenthood, but he was hesitant to speak up for fear of getting into trouble and/or losing his job.

I've also thought a lot about what God may want hubby or I (or both) to learn from this situation. Is this an exercise of faith, trust, patience, etc.? Or does He want us to lean on each other more thereby strengthening our family/marriage? Or maybe He wants us to learn more compassion for others who are going through hard times?

I'm a bargain hunter by nature; it's in my blood. Besides having to be to save money, I love the thrill of getting a good deal. Something wonderful in exchange for very little. And the bargain hunter is coming out in me even in this situation. If God would just give hubby a job now, I promise. We'll be better with our money, be better about praying, be better Christians, be better parents, be better spouses....yadda, yadda, yadda. Those promises are sincere, but can we actually live up to the agreement? Or is it a case of getting something wonderful in exchange for very little?

This is how I deal with the question of "Why?". Is it because God is at work to give us the answer we want? Is it because I'm doing something wrong that He desires me to change? Is it because I need to learn something new from Him...or maybe hubby needs to learn something new?

I don't claim to know the mind or the ways of God. He is much, much bigger than I am, and His ways are not always understandable. Maybe there is something in our situation that will touch or affect someone else in a very profound and real way. Even though I don't relish the idea of my family suffering, if it means someone else can see God's love, peace and wisdom through me, then it is worth the sacrifice.

When I encounter a problem, I always want a reason for the problem. That seems to help me fight back or survive or remain calm. But sometimes I never know the reason, and that's hard. Only time will tell whether this situation is an answer to prayer or a lesson in the making or something altogether different. And as a child of the Most High God, I'm at peace with that...most of the time. In those moments when I'm not at peace, I take it to my Heavenly Father, and He graciously grants me His peace that gets me through those moments. I'm reminded tonight of a song we sang at church recently:

God Is On Our Side (Chris Tomlin)
** Look it up; it's an awesome uplifting song!**
Everyone around the world; Hear the joyful sound
See the heavens open up; Hear the music coming down
Nothing's gonna separate us from the Father's love; I can't help but celebrate
'Cause we're not alone

If God is on our side; Who can be against us?
If God is on our side; We won't be afraid
Though the mountains may fall; And the sky will crumble
There ain't nothin' gonna stand in our way

Come on down to the riverside; Wash it all away
Leave behind your troubled mind; For an uncloudy day
Nothing's gonna separate us from the Father's love
I can't help but CELEBRATE; 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT ALONE!

With someone like that in my corner, I can do anything! And He will do everything in order to remind me of that fact every single day...even when I don't want to hear it.

Question: (Whether you believe in God or not) When you encounter a problem, do you try to seek out the reason, do you fold or do you just soldier on...no explanation necessary? Have you ever considered that a problem may actually be an answer to a prayer...just in a different form than you originally hoped for?