He Provides

I got a plethora of advice today.


I had so many accidental run ins and God blessed me in ways through people I didn't expect.


Luther's explanation for one of the Lord's Prayer petitions comes to mind...
He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.


How true is that? I survived today not because of anything I had done, but because of everything that God has done for me. He gives me everything that I need, and not always what I want. And that's okay.


I was blessed to have lunch with someone who is my greatest mentor. While I kept the conversation light, we ended talking about some struggles, and while I didn't go into detail, she reminded me that, 


"Sometimes at night I look back and I wonder why some of the struggles I had that day happened, and then I tell myself, 'Just look back at some of the struggles you had and some of the blessings that eventually came out of them.'"


It might sound like a broken record, but I need to remind myself that God's ways are not my ways, and His thoughts not my thoughts. 


Via e-mail, another respectable adult had a lot to offer, including this:

I don't know why you have to go through this after the last few months that you've had, but I do think God sometimes gets bad people out of the way to make space for better, new, fitting things.

Perhaps that is the case. I don't know. I guess time will tell. 

While nothing seems to make sense now, I do trust that God has provided and will continue to do so.

And His blessings are rich, even among the persecution, scorn, and suffering.

 

Another list of today's blessings to keep me going:


-Relaxation


-Many hugs


-Lunch with one of my mentors


-"If you don't want to make up the quiz you missed then, just come anyway and I'll be happy to talk."


-"Your work was above and beyond what I expected!"


-Visiting a friend who is laid up after just having been through surgery.


-A long overdue one on one dinner


-Peace through prayer


-"If someone doesn't like you, then obviously THEY are the one with the problems."