If only I had known
How often has this phrase passed over my lips as I stand looking at a situation I am not keen on dealing with. How often have we in some way or another said this phrase with the intended interpretation being, I would not have made that decision?
Over the past few days, this thought has been on my mind. Looking for a reason that this has been on my mind, brought me to a verse.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
We have no control over the things that come into our lives. We make decisions on where we will go to college, who we marry, where we work, what car we drive, where we go to church, or what we will have for our next meal. All with the impression that everything will work out according to "our plan".
How many times do we see things falling apart and think "If only I had known, I would not have..." or maybe look at the success of others and wonder why we are not getting the same blessings.
As it says in Proverbs, "The lot is cast into our lap..". It was given to us and we are to accept it no matter what the outcome is. I personally have things in my life that have not "gone as planned". I would love to change the outcome of past events, but then I have to realize that the changing of the past would probably remove blessings that I have received since those decisions. So I find myself at a place of discontentment. A place that the Lord does not want me at. A place of sin.
Yes I say sin, because God gave a commandment in scripture that I am ignoring or often forgetting.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Be content. God has cast the lot or allowed the lot to be cast into my lap. Will I accept it and be content with the situations? Will I trust God to work through the "lot"? So often I prefer to mope, grip, and complain about what I have to "deal with" or "play the hand I have been dealt". Too many times I have looked around and coveted the success of others. In many aspects of life, I ignore this verse.
I know I am not alone in this. This past week I have seen multiple examples from others that are going through the same thoughts. Not intentionally rebelling against the "lot" placed in their lap, but the discontent of mankind is the same in all of us. Therefore we easily wander down the path of weak faith and trust in what God is intending to do with this difficulty.
Have faith though my friend. In these same verses there is a given hope. "... I will never leave the, nor forsake thee." You see, God allowed the lot to be cast, but then stands with you in dealing with it, if you let Him. His purpose for the "lot" may not be evident to you or I in any way. But then, God never said that He would show us the whole path in front of us. As I have heard it said, if we did see the whole path, we would not be able to handle it at all. We can rest in the fact that God is working. This "lot" will work His will as we allow Him to change and mold us into the image of Christ. We allow Him to work His witness or testimony in our lives. The path is probably not what we want, but then a lot of the time our desires are fleshly and selfish.
I also see that "...the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." I glean from this that, there is a possibility that once God has finished using this "lot" in my life, then He will remove it. At least that was the impression from a conversation I had. However, I had to realize that it would very possibly be left in my lap. Allowing God to work does not always remove it, but it could be that God is allowed to bestow the grace I need to accept it and live with it.
Let us keep these verses close to our hearts as we see the "lot" cast into our laps. God has a purpose and plan. We can make it when we look to Him. As it says in his word:
1 Peter 5:7 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Over the past few days, this thought has been on my mind. Looking for a reason that this has been on my mind, brought me to a verse.
Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.
We have no control over the things that come into our lives. We make decisions on where we will go to college, who we marry, where we work, what car we drive, where we go to church, or what we will have for our next meal. All with the impression that everything will work out according to "our plan".
How many times do we see things falling apart and think "If only I had known, I would not have..." or maybe look at the success of others and wonder why we are not getting the same blessings.
As it says in Proverbs, "The lot is cast into our lap..". It was given to us and we are to accept it no matter what the outcome is. I personally have things in my life that have not "gone as planned". I would love to change the outcome of past events, but then I have to realize that the changing of the past would probably remove blessings that I have received since those decisions. So I find myself at a place of discontentment. A place that the Lord does not want me at. A place of sin.
Yes I say sin, because God gave a commandment in scripture that I am ignoring or often forgetting.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Be content. God has cast the lot or allowed the lot to be cast into my lap. Will I accept it and be content with the situations? Will I trust God to work through the "lot"? So often I prefer to mope, grip, and complain about what I have to "deal with" or "play the hand I have been dealt". Too many times I have looked around and coveted the success of others. In many aspects of life, I ignore this verse.
I know I am not alone in this. This past week I have seen multiple examples from others that are going through the same thoughts. Not intentionally rebelling against the "lot" placed in their lap, but the discontent of mankind is the same in all of us. Therefore we easily wander down the path of weak faith and trust in what God is intending to do with this difficulty.
Have faith though my friend. In these same verses there is a given hope. "... I will never leave the, nor forsake thee." You see, God allowed the lot to be cast, but then stands with you in dealing with it, if you let Him. His purpose for the "lot" may not be evident to you or I in any way. But then, God never said that He would show us the whole path in front of us. As I have heard it said, if we did see the whole path, we would not be able to handle it at all. We can rest in the fact that God is working. This "lot" will work His will as we allow Him to change and mold us into the image of Christ. We allow Him to work His witness or testimony in our lives. The path is probably not what we want, but then a lot of the time our desires are fleshly and selfish.
I also see that "...the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." I glean from this that, there is a possibility that once God has finished using this "lot" in my life, then He will remove it. At least that was the impression from a conversation I had. However, I had to realize that it would very possibly be left in my lap. Allowing God to work does not always remove it, but it could be that God is allowed to bestow the grace I need to accept it and live with it.
Let us keep these verses close to our hearts as we see the "lot" cast into our laps. God has a purpose and plan. We can make it when we look to Him. As it says in his word:
1 Peter 5:7 7Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
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