“If I know too much about what was to come, I would have resisted and manipulated. I would have rushed through the seasons that hurt the most, rather than staying in the rearranged places where God chose to come close.”- Jennifer Dukes Lee
In Chapter 5 (“Letting Go of Expectations”) of Growing Slow, Jennifer Dukes Lee notes her past grow-fast life tendency to operate as the CEO of her life. With God as an employee. Furthermore, her stubborn expectations worked beautifully when she partnered with God. However, those same expectations caused pain when she demanded her own way.
Therefore, Jennifer invites us to join her at the crossroads. The place where our will meets God’s will. It’s the land of a million expectations. Still, the author asserts, an unexpected life fails to equate with a bad life.
Certainly, nothing you do prevents winter from coming. But, you also can’t keep spring from coming either. And that’s an important truth to remember in the winters of life. Jennifer adds:
“Nothing — nothing — can keep spring from coming again. Like the great outdoorsman Hal Borland said, ‘No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn.’ ” (emphasis author’s)
Hence, the author encourages us to learn to set aside expectations. Above all, though, hold on to hope! And ask God to give you the courage to begin each day with open hands – the gesture of letting go. Of course, letting go doesn’t mean you’re giving up. Rather, it means giving in to your Creator.
In conclusion, Jennifer exhorts:
“God never fails. He just doesn’t. He is a promise keeper and the holder of the plan. . . . working miles ahead of us, putting the pieces of this great big puzzle together. . . . A time for expectations to be unfulfilled, and time for expectations to be exceeded far more than we would have dreamed. . . . He is making everything beautiful in its time. And when he does, I will dance.”
Today’s question: What Bible verses help you stay in the rearranged places where God chooses to come close? Please share.
Coming Monday: the October Short Meditation, “For the noise of a fly- neglect God’s angels”
Tomorrow’s blog: “A seedling will burst forth in God’s timing”
