Praise God!

First off I want to let you know that my mother came through surgery well and is already at home.  I appreciate all of you for saying a prayer for a woman you don't know!  (Well I suppose technically you've never met me either, but you know what I mean.)

She gets her pathology report tomorrow, so I would appreciate your continued prayers for her recovery.

One thing I've always had a (semantical) problem with is when people praise God for good news.  I get the idea behind it and I am very appreciative she came through well.  Even recently, someone in my circle lost a parent after a routine surgery didn't go as it ought.  I know that I should be grateful for her situation.

And I truly am.

But even if her situation had went horribly wrong, He is still worthy of my praise.  He is still just and good and kind.  (Easy for me to say sitting on this side of the surgery right?)

Today is week 4 in the Your Secret Name  by Kary Oberbrunner read along, hosted by Marla Taviano.  Mr. Oberbrunner (in quotes) then Marla (she's just Marla cause we're cool like that) ask the following:

 “How could my recent experiences harmonize with God’s preordained plan?” Have you ever felt like this?

I know that God can use any situation in my life to bring him glory.  He's dealing with me (harshly if you ask me, but then again I'm probably just a slow learner) that even my daily life can be used to fulfill his plan.  There are things that I don't want to do to serve my husband much less my "neighbor." 

I've prayed and committed any part of my life, anything that Jesus would need to reveal Himself to the hubs, all the while thinking of all the grand scenarios God could allow.  Never thinking that maybe its today that He wants from me.

My husband is spoiled.  Rotten.  He's an only child to a stay a home mom who loves kids (and would have had more if given the opportunity.)  He's use to being served with a smile.

Now I can see some of you out there.  You're already bristling.  This is 2011 - how dare you be expect to serve your husband.  I'm right there with you, so in many ways I hold out.

Until I see the little things he does to serve me, that I don't even realize (and he doesn't even consider). 

Its not effort that makes him grab my feet for a quick rub as we lay on the couch, but love and habit.  Its not an obligation (to God or me) that he volunteers to go downstairs and make sure the stove is turned off just to ease my mind.  Its love.

Serving people, looking out for them before yourself is what you do when you love someone.

I love my husband.  I claim to love God.  Yet my husband, who's not even sure my God exists, is able to simple do these things for me that I would object to on principle.

So to make a long answer short - I find it very difficult to believe in practice that God can use the every day to fulfill His will.  Which is tantamount to doubting God. 

How embarrassing.

I should be praising God on a daily basis for the opportunity to minister to my husband through the ordinary.  Sometimes I wonder if my husband's life has been too easy, and that's why he isn't a believer.  Both sets of his grandparents were Christians, but he didn't grow up in church.  His life (excluding the whole hemophilia thing) has been easy peasy.  His blood condition caused huge doctor bills and his parents worked hard to pay them.

He's never had to rely on God.  And because of that, he's missed out on the blessing you get when God comes through for you.  That feeling that when everything around you is falling apart - you have Someone...not just someone but the Creator of the Universe...there to hold you up right.

Maybe that's what it means when James says to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds..."



Disclosure: Amazon Affiliate links included in this post. If you click through to Amazon from Smart + Strong = Sexy, any purchase you make supports this site.