{"id":1878,"date":"2019-05-21T20:23:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-21T20:23:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/joy-in-the-journey.com\/?p=1878"},"modified":"2025-05-16T16:28:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T20:28:49","slug":"god-at-work-no-trespassing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joy-in-the-journey.com\/?p=1878","title":{"rendered":"God at Work (No Trespassing) Republished In the Moments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. <\/span>(<\/span>Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB<\/strong><\/span>)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

When I was younger, I had an idea of how I thought my life would turn out, or at least how I hoped it would. I expected good health, peaceful relationships and smooth circumstances. I figured things might turn out differently, but what I didn\u2019t realize is how much I\u2019d tied my sense of well being to how my life was going. As a result, when the inevitable, unexpected twists occurred, I found myself on shaky ground, searching for something lasting to fill my need for joy. Perhaps you can relate.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a midspring morning. I take a sip of my favorite kind of coffee, strong and dark with a little bit of stevia and cream. I\u2019m beginning to feel the sun\u2019s warmth cutting through the new day coolness, but it\u2019s not high enough to blaze over the leafy green canopy. There\u2019s no break in the constant symphony of birds singing above and in the forest beyond.<\/p>\n

I want to celebrate the new day with as much melodious joy as these birds, but I need to be sure I\u2019m still trusting God in these unexpected paths my life has taken. I have no doubt He\u2019s with me, but in one situation He\u2019s erected a \u2018God at Work\u2019 sign and He wants me to honor it. He\u2019ll invite me in when He\u2019s ready. In the meantime, my job is ferocious prayer.<\/p>\n

A neighbor, walking her dogs, sees me and walks down the driveway to chat. She asks about our new dog, Lily, rescued off the streets on Good Friday.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

We talk about shade flowers and how my bride and I plan on adding some color to our water garden next to the porch.<\/p>\n

When she leaves, I continue my preparation for the new day. Years ago, I would have denied the gravity of the very painful parts of life, feeling what I could, stuffing the rest and keeping on best I could. But now that I\u2019m learning how to properly steward my feelings, I see how denying emotional pain desensitizes my heart and makes it hard for me to discern God\u2019s nearness.<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m to truly rejoice with the birds, I need to rehearse the steps I believe God has given me to help me honor His ‘God at Work’ sign in this very hard situation.<\/p>\n