God has given us an incredible gift. It's nothing anyone can quantify or see. There are no dollar signs involved or tangible material possessions. Yet, we consider ourselves incredibly rich in God's blessings. He has given us the desires of our hearts.
Several months ago I was visiting a young friend at my former workplace. I go back there at least once a week to visit. Why? It's part of the gift. Shh. Back to the story.
My friend shared with me a struggle she was having at work. Gossip, back-stabbing, drama were all happening and it was eating away at her. She was contemplating quitting her job because she couldn't take it anymore. So I asked if I could pray for her. And we prayed. Others in the office were praying for her situation too.
Yesterday, when I stopped by my young friend's desk, I was sad to see that she was gone. All of her things were gone too. Did she finally quit? What happened? So I asked one of her work mates.
"Oh, she's upstairs now."
"What!?"
"Yeah, she doesn't work down here anymore."
So I went upstairs and there she was.
"Hi! What are YOU doing here?" I asked.
"Well, the book keeper over there is going to retire in January and they had hired a replacement for her. But then for some reason her replacement changed her mind. Someone else asked to take the book keeper's position and then that person's position became available. And I thought, I could do that job so I applied for it . . . and I got it!"
I thought about what I had just heard for a bit and then said, "When you go home tonight, thank God for what He has done for you. Two months ago you were struggling here, thinking you might quit your job. Now, today, here you are out of the situation you were in and God has placed you here. And you're happy! God has answered your prayers!"
And that is the gift that God has given us. Did you notice it? God gifts us opportunities to be in intimate, caring relationships. Not one- or two-sided relationships but THREE-sided relationships. My most treasured friends are those I have walked through struggles with, always with Jesus, always in prayer.
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." - 1 John 3:1-2
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1
Forever - Chris Tomlin
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