I’ve had lots of opportunities to reflect on the idea of how things are “supposed to be” over the past week or so. This isn’t the first time David and I have experienced life “as it is” vs. life as it is “supposed to be”. It started before we were engaged, picked up steam when we got married, and we’ve walked through it off and on ever since. Including lately.
Well, two ladies have blessed me recently in writing about this topic. The first one I’ll provide as a link. I’d like to post the whole thing right here to ensure that more people read it, but that wouldn’t be fair to the other blogger because then you wouldn’t be going to her site. But don’t miss out on The “Supposed to Be” Disease.
The other one I’ll post in its entirety because there is no way to link to it. It comes from Nancy Campbell’s Above Rubies weekly email devotional.
Town and Country
Deuteronomy 28:1-4 NASB, “If you will diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the offspring of your body.”
Some people love to live in the city. Some love the country. There are others who live in the city but who long to move to the country. They think that this will be a better life for their children. That may be so, but God has promised, if we are obedient to His commandments, to bless us whether we live in the town or the country.
If you hanker to live in the country, and yet there is no way for you to do this, stop pestering your husband and be content. To be content where you live is more important than where you live. The requirement for God’s blessing upon you and your family is not where you live but whether you are being obedient to God’s Word.
We now live in the country. I love it. I prefer it to the city. But through all the years of raising our children we lived in the city. They were wonderful years and God blessed us. I remember when we moved from New Zealand to Australia, not just to a new country, but to the playground of Australia–Surfer’s Paradise. Our home looked out on the casino! Help! How do you raise teenagers in this environment? Because this is where God sent us to serve Him, He blessed us and our children. Instead of being on the defensive, they were on the offensive for God. All the children, teens and younger, preached every weekend in the open air mall in Surfer’s Paradise. They helped us grow the church. They are all loving and serving the Lord today.
When we moved to America, we lived in an apartment complex. By this time, only Pearl and Serene were home, the others were all married. We squashed ourselves and the Above Rubies office into this apartment. We opened our doors in hospitality and filled it with people gathering around our table for meals. Once again we were blessed! We had wonderful times and great fellowship with many people in this dingy apartment.
I have found that the secret of enjoying life is to accept where I live and make it my life, rather than pining for what I have had in the past or what I would like to have in the future.
By the way, here is a secret for getting a bigger home. Fill the one you have. Fill it with children. Fill it with people as you reach out in hospitality. When God sees you filling up the home you have, He will open doors for you to get a bigger one!
Some folks think that it is too difficult to have children in the city. However, the next words God speaks after telling us He will bless us in the town and in the country is that He will bless us with the fruit of the womb. This blessing is for those who live in the city and for those who live in the country. God will help us and provide for us in whichever place we live.
Trust His promises.
NANCY CAMPBELL
PRAYER:
“Lord, I thank you for where you have placed us as a family. I rejoice in your provision and I am content. Help us to fulfill your purposes for us in this place at this time of our lives. Amen.”AFFIRMATION:
I am content where God has placed me!
May we all do a better job of being content where God has placed us, even when the circumstances aren’t what they are “supposed to be”. 🙂
Amen! How easy it is to think that everything is supposed to be normal and to wallow in self pity when God tells us *our* own path is otherwise!
I too get the Above Rubies magazines in the mail and so appreciate Nancy Campbell’s writings, being content is so important, there’s more to life than focussing on what you want rather than what God wants us to have.
Good reminder. It reminds me of that saying, “Be careful what you ask for. You might get it.” 🙂
I really appreciated Debra’s post then as I appreciate your wods now. This idea of contentment no matter the circumstances need to sink in deep for me.
Thank you for sharing both of these writings. I have had folks tell me how awful my children will turn out being I’m single, and things such as that, which caused me much hurt and discontent. These articles really, really blessed me.
Janet
I was really blessed that you linked to my post…thanks so much! Blessings, Debra
Those were both great. Thanks.
I am so completely amazed at how God continues to work in my life through people—even blogs on the Internet. I just can’t even describe how much I needed to read this, see it printed in words, and really believe in it. Thank you so much for posting. What a blessing you are.
Missy,
I’m so glad you found this encouraging. It blesses me to hear that! 🙂