It's Not About You!

The last couple of weeks I have felt that every word of every message I have listened to has been God speaking straight to me. In June, the sermon series at our church was on Jonah. I know the story of Jonah. I have for a long time. I am a PK. But I guess I didn't realize that Jonah was such a whiner. Last week as our pastor laid out the last installment of the story, I couldn't help but think that God was talking to me.

Our pastor said one thing that really stuck with me. "IT"S NOT ABOUT YOU!" Amazingly enough, I have always thought that if God chooses to use me, then it is about me. Sure, God may be trying to teach you something. But most of the time, you are a tool that God is using to bring Him glory. Isn't it just so human to think of yourself as Jonah did? Jonah whined and complained and thought God should immediately destroy the Ninevites. He tried to tell God what to do without thinking that God knows what He is doing. But was that God's bigger plan? No! His plan was to save thousands of people not just Jonah.

I will be the first one to admit that I think like Jonah. First I think of many excuses not to do what God wants me to. "My kids are too young and I can't leave them." "I am too old." "It takes me too long to get to church." There are so many things that I could say to get out of doing what God wants. I can whine just like Jonah. "Why, God?! Why me?!" I can try to tell God how to do what I want Him to but I do not know the best way. God has a purpose and a plan. We watched the pastor from Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, this morning during our normal worship service. He said, "If you knew God's plan, you would fall flat on your face." I agree. If I knew what God had planned for me, I would never get up in the morning. That is the reason, God reveals to us a little at a time. We don't need or shouldn't want to know what God's way is. That is why we have to trust Him in everything.
I need to learn to trust God more and to lean on Him. It is not for me to say, "God, you don't know what you are doing." How can I say that when I can't see the big picture? What is the big picture? God knows and God will take care of you and me. I need to trust Him to tell me what to do. I do not need to be like Jonah and try to tell God how to do his job. He can take care of little 'ol me. After all, He created the whole world. So with all that said, I am waiting patiently to find out God's plan for my life. I know it will be great because God uses the most imperfect people to do great things. But I'll have to post about that another day!