Perfectly Present

You want to know what's one thing that I admire about guys? Their ability to be present. When they are hanging out, no one wants to talk about what happens next- they are fully there for whatever season of life they are in. This is a conversation that I had with a friend of mine this morning: we wish that sometimes we could just be present. No matter how many good or bad things are thrown our way, our flesh finds solace in knowing that we can go ahead and try to plan our next steps; and while this never works out, I find it hilarious that God designed men and women this way.

Growing up, we are told "yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift, that's why it's called the present" and quite frankly, I think that's infuriating. True, but infuriating. And I think that's where we hit places of frustration in life; we look at the world like a kid on Christmas morning, and God is our parents trying to give us a gift.

We are the kid who hopes and wishes for a puppy, and gets a bike instead. We are blessed to get the bike, no other kid is getting a bike, we will have fun with it, we aren't even ready for the responsibility of owning a puppy, but we are upset because we wanted a puppy!

We look at what God is presenting us with, and we are grateful, and we think it's awesome, but when it doesn't perfectly line up with what we want, we have a meltdown:

God I am grateful for this job, but I wanted a husband.

God I am going to have fun on this trip, but they weren't supposed to be here.

God I have done all my chores, so you are supposed to bless me.

God they were a good person, so you were supposed to heal them.

And on and on the list goes, as we whine and beg to God because we make the mistake of thinking we know ourselves better than He does.

God knit us together in our mother's womb, He numbered the hairs on our heads, He mapped out a perfect plan for our lives before we were even created, and we have the audacity to think we know better...

This post is meant to challenge you because it's challenging me: I want to graduate, I want to move on, I want to start working, and have a husband, and start a family, but that's not my present.

I have been blessed in this last week with seeing doors to my future lining up and opening, and I made the mistake of letting the Devil get inside my head and convince me to be ungrateful for the Lord's blessings, and I am writing this to plead with you to stop. Stop. Look around. Look at the opportunities in front of you. Realise that you will only be where you are right now for this one particular moment in time, and whether the waiting takes an eternity or ten seconds, it will be worth it. Psalms 37:7 says "Be still in the Lord and wait for Him to act"- that is not a suggestion, that is a command.

Your situation in life is not by chance, it is intentional from a perfect God who knows what he is doing, trust in that, and finish well.

Seven years of following the Lord faithfully, with very little direction, has led me to a job that I am so blessed to begin, that I never would have expected had I been in control. Had I gotten my metaphorical puppy when I thought I was ready, I never would have appreciated the beauty that comes from taking the training wheels off the bike.

So be passionate about the present. Go all in to whatever it is your apart of, because it's worth it. Find the finish line, and do it well. Enjoy it. Smile through it and give it your best. It's not perfect, and never will be, but if you are chasing after the Lord's purpose in your circumstance then perfection can be found in Him.

And on the flip side, PRAY ABOUT THAT THING YOU'RE WAITING ON! Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus"! It is completely normal for our flesh to face desire, and that's where you learn to show yourself the same grace that God does; it's where you learn that while you're finishing well, and being present, you can pray about your next steps. God is a good parent who does everything for a reason: to keep you safe, happy, and healthy, and He is giving you a bike for a reason! Ride it!

I know that today's post is similar to last weeks, but I did that with intention. I spend the week praying about what to publish, and I still haven't been able to shake this message, maybe it is for me, and maybe it is for you, but whoever needed this I want you to know: you are not alone in the waiting. We are all waiting on something whether we are willing to admit it or not, but let me remind you that your present is only here for so long. That prayer you think is hitting the ceiling will break through eventually, the doors that you're so convinced are shut will swing wide when the Lord knows you're ready.

But in the mean time, you worship in the hallway.

-Emma

"Be fearless in pursuit of what sets your soul on fire"