Josh’s Thoughts

Pro 3:5-6 GW
(5) Trust the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.
(6) In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths smooth.

Yesterday morning I woke up thinking about the need for Divine guidance. As I was still laying in bed, I realized that lately I have been not putting my trust in God in the way that I should. I realized that I have been worrying over things that I should be leaving up to God to solve.

I got out of bed and pulled up my Bible study software, and I started looking up some Scriptures on guidance. Proverbs 3:5-6 was the first one that I turned to, and I noticed something about it that I had never noticed before. See, I have always thought of Proverbs 3:5-6 as a guidance Scripture, and in a way it is. What it actually says, though, is that if we put our trust completely in God then He will make our paths smooth.

I spent some time thinking about that, and I realized that there is a difference between God guiding us and God making our paths smooth. Of course God does indeed guide us–that theme is repeated over and over throughout Scripture–but, according to Proverbs 3:5-6, He also makes our paths smooth.

As I meditated on this I started thinking about how there are so many things in our life that could be so difficult, but it seems that God just smooths out the paths. For instance, when I moved into my new apartment I was worrying about all of the things that could go wrong. I had to get the gas turned on, had to get Internet service, electricity, had to move, and also had to do all of the other miscellaneous things that moving involves. I was so worried about everything that could go wrong, but when I look back on it I see how it went so smoothly! God truly smoothed out my path.

That’s a small example, but I can think of big examples as well. It’s not that everything’s all a bed of roses since I’m a Christian, it’s just that I know that I have a God who cares about me personally, and He cares about making my ways smooth. He not only directs me along the right paths, but He smooths them over for me as well.

I could give example after example of how God has done this for me, but I think that I’ve said enough. I am just so incredibly thankful to God that He cares about me enough to smooth over the small areas in my life, as well as the big ones.

Thinking about all of this built up my faith, because I realize that if God will do this for the little things, then He will certainly do it for the big things as well!

For the last few days my daily Bible reading has been taking me through the story of Joseph. When I read this verse today, it blew me away:

Gen 41:51 GW
(51) Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh [He Helps Me Forget], because God helped him forget all his troubles and all about his father’s family.

I’ve heard the story of Joseph so many times, and read the story so many times, but I’ve never noticed this little verse before: “God Helps Me Forget.”

I’ve been thinking about it all day today. Life gets rough sometimes, but I don’t think any of us have had it as bad as Joseph. We all have our own burdens to bear, and I’m not making light of anyone’s problems–including my own–but I don’t think that anyone reading this blog can claim that they had it worse than Joseph.

Sold as a slave by his brothers (they were going to kill him!)

Sold again as a slave to an Egyptian–someone who had absolutely no knowledge of Joseph’s God

Wrongfully accused

Thrown into prison

Forgotten about by the one person who could have gotten him out of that prison

And then, after seven years in prison, everything turns around…in one day! The thing is, when most people teach this story, they jump from the part where Joseph gets made governor of Egypt to the part where he is reconciled to his brothers and his family. But right in the middle of those two parts of the story is the beautiful statement, “God Helps Me Forget.”

I have been through rough times in my life…we all have! But there may be people reading this blog right now who are going through those rough times right now. It’s not a thing in the past for you, it’s a thing in the present.

And you’re wondering if it’ll ever get better.

Maybe you were betrayed by a family member…wrongfully accused…or forgotten by a friend.

If that’s you, then let me promise you, there will come a time that you will look back and realize that God has helped you to forget. I know that God has done it for me, and He’ll do the same for you. If you make it through the rough times now, then there will come a time when the hardships that seem so overwhelming now are nothing more than a faint memory.

Because God is the God Who Helps You Forget.

I think it appropriate to end this blog with the words of King David. He said:

Psa 34:18-19 GNB
(18) The LORD is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope.
(19) Good people suffer many troubles, but the LORD saves them from them all…

So if you’re going through a rough time right now, then just keep  on hanging on. There will come a day when your hope will be restored, because our God is the God Who Helps You Forget.

Wow! What a tough couple of weeks! First, a week of solid sickness, then two weeks of moving while I worked and did school. Total craziness!

But Tuesday morning I stopped and took some time for reflection, and I realized how many prayers God has answered in a brief time span. It really, really amazed me. You see, I keep a list of prayer requests on my PDA, and Tuesday morning I was going through the list during my daily devotions. As I started going through various requests on the list I started realizing that that many of the requests had been answered. What a great feeling!

One of the things I have been praying about for a while is an apartment in Spartanburg (where I work). I have been having to drive 1 and 1/2 hours round trip every time I came into work or to church or any other activity in Spartanburg. Not only was this very hard on gas, but it was very tiring and time consuming since almost all of my activities are here in Spartanburg.

Well, God has answered the prayer for an apartment. And not only did He open the door for an apartment, He answered some very specific requests that I had. First, I wanted a place that was cheap (I like my spending money). Second, I wanted a place with good neighbors. Third, I wanted a place that’s quiet. Fourth, I wanted a place very close to work (within walking distance). I have to confess that I didn’t expect all of those prayers to be answered, but they were!

As I thought about all of this I started realizing that we Christians can be kind of funny about the way that we pray. I often find myself praying for more than I expect to get. I mean, I had a whole list of things that I wanted in an apartment, and I kind of had this subconscious idea in the back of my mind that if I asked for them all then maybe I’d get lucky and God would give me a few of the things I wanted. You know, shoot for the moon, and maybe you’ll reach the sky…that sort of deal…kind of like I did with my parents when I was younger.

The thing is, the Bible says that God likes to give things that are good to those who ask Him! Just look at what Jesus said here:

Mat 7:11 GW
(11) Even though you’re evil, you know how to give good gifts to your children. So how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him?

Now I’m not a prosperity preacher (you know, the type that tells people to come to God so that they can get a new Jaguar), but I do believe that God loves to answers our prayers when we pray for things that are good.

I have decided that I am going to start keeping a list of the prayers that God has answered. It’s such a great faith building exercise. Every time God answers a small prayer, that gives me faith to pray for bigger things. (Keep in mind that I’m not talking about materialistic things, I’m talking about real needs that we need met. I needed an apartment in Spartanburg, but I don’t need a Hummer–although I won’t complain if God gives me one, as long as He gives me the ability to afford to put gas in it too).

Well, I’ve rambled a bit in this post, but I’m sure you guys get the picture. Prayer is such a great tool. It is just so awesome to realize that we as Christians have a direct channel to the Almighty Creator, and that He hears our prayers and loves to answer them!