The "No" Answer

This is sort of a three part series.  First part is the "NO" answer.  Many times in life we seem to get a "no" for an answer from God.  Or sometimes no answer at all.  For me, those times feel frustrating, especially when it's the small stuff I'd like help with that seems to have (and just maybe I am wrong about this lol) no bearing on kingdom life...no eternal value. 

For example, I was cleaning out my car lately and just wanted to get done quickly.  It was one thing on a very long to do list that day and the faster I got done the better I'd like it and the quicker I'd be able to move onto the next item.  Of course, nothing was going smoothly.  Paper towels rolling away, papers flying off needing to be chased, spots that were difficult to reach with the vacuum...you know, the little minutiae that gets in the way when you are trying to complete a task quickly.  So I started bickering with the Lord.  Well, I was bickering...He was being quiet, just taking it all in I guess...waiting on me to get the point of His silence.

Me:  Help me.  Can you make this easier?  Make it go smoothly?  Why does everything have to be a struggle?"
God:  No reply.
Me:  "If you don't want to be involved in my life, just let me know, okay!"
God:  No reply."

And we went on this way for a while longer.  I had that whole spoiled brat tantrum thing going on.  I got finished with the car (that in and of itself is a victory), and went on my grumpy way to work through the list until it was time to go to work. 

As is my practice, I put my Christian radio station on and mentioned to the Lord, I really like to hear a certain song.  Of course, we all know what the answer was..."NO."  UGH!!!!  But actually, the Lord had a something better in mind...He had a message to get across to me on that drive.  He wanted me to know that He had no intention or desire to not be involved in my life.  "Drops in the Ocean" by Hawk Nelson came through the speakers, surrounding me with God's love.  In that song is a line: " I am for you.  I'm not against you."  Wow, I just felt wrapped in His heart.

Lord, You have Your ways.  The fact that they don't line up with my thoughts is a struggle and a frustration to me.  Help me to learn to trust You.  Help me to let go and let You be God.  This is one of my biggest battles.  Lord, let me and all of us live in the peace that comes from practicing faith.  Help us to not try to usurp Your position even in the smallest details of our days.  Help us to learn to walk by faith not by sight in all things.  In Jesus' most faithful Name.  Amen.

Give up being in charge of your life.  That job belongs to Jesus.