#156 - When It Doesn't Make Sense

Good morning! Well... I must say, it has already been a FULL morning! Tyler was leaving at 6:45 this morning, soooooo.... even though I went to bed after midnight, I woke up at 5:00 A.M and went GROCERY SHOPPING!?!?! Can you believe it!!?!? Whoa!! Was home by 6:20, cut up vegetables and a pot roast, put it in the crock pot, cleaned the kitchen and now having my Quiet Time! Wow! It's not even 9:00 yet. I'm actually counting on being a able to take a quick nap before "the boy" wakes up! We were traveling back from Georgia late last night and Jr didn't get in bed until about 11:30.... I'm banking on him sleeping in a little late this morning. Anyways... wasn't that a productive morning. I know I'm impressed with myself. It's not all the time where you have the "pat yourself on the back" sort of morning, but this would rank up there for me. OH.... AND I even fixed my husband a breakfast sandwich, he was happy. :)

OK... well, let's go ahead and get going....

Proverbs 21:30 - There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord.

Over the years, one thing I have noticed about myself is this.... I tend to want to be a people-pleaser. I don't like to "rock the boat" with people, I don't like confrontation, and though I may disagree with someone I typically may have a hard time voicing my disagreement (which is sometimes good.... "unasked for advice is criticism"). Well... I literally had 3 scriptures this morning that I was going to discuss, wrote the first paragraph above, then double checked with the Holy Spirit about the topic. He said, "No, I don't want you to write about that. I want you to write about this....'When It Doesn't Make Sense'." So... He changed things up on me, but I LOVE IT! It's SO much better!

Let me tell you this.... listening to the Lord and FOLLOWING His direction will not always make sense to other people. You may hear something specific that you are supposed to do, and frankly, in the natural, it DOES NOT make sense. But everything within you KNOWS that it is the Holy Spirit directing you to do this "thing." As you begin the journey of obedience.... you QUICKLY receive feedback of people disapproving. They don't agree with what you are doing. "Why are you doing that?!" they question, and sometimes even argue. They adamantly feel like you are making a BIG mistake! And the tough thing is, sometimes it is the people closest to you that verbally disagree with you. Let me tell you a few examples...

1. Tyler was 17 years old... at the time he had a really amazing girlfriend. A Christian girl, a really good track athlete, and they really liked each other. Their relationship was very God-centered. It really looked perfect, and to both of them, it felt perfect. They were a perfect match. Well... one day, Tyler felt like God told him to break up with his girlfriend. It TOTALLY did not make sense. They weren't in sin, they had a God-centered relationship, they liked each other. In Tyler's flesh, nothing in him really knew or even agreed with why the Lord was telling him to do this... but he chose to be obedient. He broke up with her. After a short time, he got a phone call from this girls dad. Her dad wanted to privately meet with Tyler. The day was pouring down rain. Tyler & the girls father met at a park, pouring rain, Tyler hopped in the back of the car and their it began. This father began to tell Tyler what he did was not right. Tyler & his daughter had a perfect relationship. Why throw it away? Tyler's only response was, "The Lord told me to do it. I can't explain it." Even this Christian father disagreed with Tyler, tried to persuade him otherwise. But Tyler's resolve was SET. Above EVERYTHING else, the Word of the Lord would stand on this situation, and on EVERY situation moving forward! 
2. If you remember the recent devotion about the Indiana Tournament of Champions that I participated in when I was in college. The devotion was entitled, My God Shall Supply. As the returning champion, the Holy Spirit did not have me train for the event. I was competing for scholarship money that was MUCH needed. The month preceding the event, even I did not understand why the Holy Spirit was not allowing me to heavily train. I wanted to win, and I felt like I NEEDED to win to get the scholarship money. In short... I got 4th place, not 1st. I did not get the amount of scholarship money that I needed. Instead of training during that time, I was in the Word for hours each day, and the Lord was setting me up to share the Word with ONE person! ONE PERSON! In it all, I still disappointed my dad, because my lack of training appeared to not make sense and seemed lazy. But GOD still supplied! The amount of money I needed showed up in my mail box the DAY I got home from the event! 
3. Tyler's senior year of High School... he would have been the Captain of his High School football team... his last year to play football. The Lord told him not to play, but to focus on track & field. His decision caused his parents to sit down with him.... frustration and disappointment was heavy in the conversation. "Why would you throw it all away? You're a SENIOR! You've always played football!" Tyler again had to stand on his resolve. "This is what the Lord told me to do." His football coaches.... pulled him into his office trying to sway him to play... ultimately they had to say, "You are going to regret this Tyler. For the rest of your life, you are going to regret this decision." In tears, Tyler had to stand his ground even though it didn't make sense. His football friends, chided him, were angry with him, frustrated with him. But he stood his ground. The result? He received a full ride track & field scholarship to a Division One college in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. What if he would NOT have listened to the Lord? And listened to everyone else's advice? 
4. For about the last 2 - 2 1/2 years the Holy Spirit had Tyler and I take a "mental & physical" step back from building the business we own. We were still involved and attended events we needed too, we still did some basic fundamental things... but the Lord had, especially Tyler step back. He didn't even want too. It didn't make sense. In his flesh, he wanted, desired, craved to be out building our business, growing it, expanding it. But, for over 2 years, the Holy Spirit kept pulling him back in. Why? Because we had to renew our minds. We had to flush out some old thinking that was holding us back. We had to purge some thought process that was not correct. Why did it have to take so long? Great question. But... we have been released now.... we are expanding. Growth is in the air. Excitement. Momentum. But... we had to listen. 

Obedience. At what cost will you listen? At what cost will you go against the crowd? Go against even the opinions of family? Along the way we have learned this valuable principle found in Proverbs 21:30 - There is no [human] wisdom or understanding or counsel [that can prevail] against the Lord. 

There is NO human wisdom that can prevail against the Lord! Our parents, coaches, friends, business partners/mentors..... all of them had well meaning opinions and thoughts of what we should do in these few situations. But even when it doesn't make sense to people, the LORD has a reason for everything! Along the years, no matter what, we have just chose and decided that the LORD's Word would stand above EVERYONE else! Today & everyday! 

What decision will you make when it doesn't make sense?