I had a very busy weekend – very busy! Let me give you a quick rundown. Saturday morning I/the church hosted a Youth Leaders training and I was at the church from about 7:45 till about 1:15. I then had a previous pastor who wanted to meet me and so I did that. I came home to change my cloths to drive an hour to do a visitation at a funeral home for a member whose mother passed away – finally was home about 9pm. Sunday I went to a Deacon Meeting at 8:30 am, preached, ran out and drove nearly an hour to do a funeral, nearly an hour drive back, rested for about an hour then did the Sunday Night Bible Study. It was a long weekend – but I was taken away by something.
I listened to Chuck Swindoll’s book on David during the drive. I am preaching on the life of David on Sunday mornings. I after listening am so excited to share, I just want it to be Sunday. I just finished Chapter 20 in 1 Samuel and Swindoll brought something out and it is playing out in my own life. God took all of David’s crutches away so he truly had only God to lean on. God took away his position, his wife, his mentor, and his best friend to this point and there is still a little more to go. God in a real way has done the same with me and I see how much more I am leaning on him. It is a painful process having things taken away but I am encouraged by what God has done through the process.
What about you? Has God taken anything away from you so that you might lean on him more?
Four years ago, I received my calling into the ministry. I was management at a car lot and my wife was a high ranking person at an oil company. Between the two of us we made almost 200k per year. When God called us we dropped everything and moved away. We took jobs and we made less than 30k per year. It was a huge adjustment. We lost nearly everything, but we gained so much more because we learned to truly depend upon him. Sometime I will have to share this entire story…
I would like to hear the rest of that story. Thanks for sharing Michael!
Jim: I got here late today. I would also be interested in hearing Michael’s story. I will have to think some on this post. I could say my health but He has given me that. I could say finances but he continues providing. I could say that He took away a ton of people this past year in the church I pastor (some call it pruning) and that may come the closest recently. I have had to throw my self-assurance down the drain and rely on Him…again. I am learning all over again that He is sufficient.
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