Pursuing the Illogical

Devotional: Applying the Bible to my today.

Read: Colossians 3

In the past few weeks, the state of Oklahoma announced massive budget shortfalls that greatly impact departments serving the mental health community. Though it is uncertain at this point how deep the cuts will go, there is a strong likelihood it will impact my husband’s employment in some way. Therefore, when a previous employer encouraged me to apply for an open position, it seemed to Ron and I that this opportunity may be the “rescue boat” sent from God to keep us from financial hardship! Yay God!

Well, not so much… Ron and I only had to pray about it for a day before God provided clarity that the job opportunity was a distraction from what He is doing in and through us. If only the message had been, “My dear sweet, Halee, Ron’s job is going to be fine.” Instead, it was more like, “Hang on… this is going to hurt a little, but, don’t throw a big adult temper tantrum like you sometimes do. I’ve got this.”

Heading back to work seems like a much “safer” and logical route; instead my head dances with thoughts of even more coupon clipping, finding even more ways of saving on our already tight food budget, potentially not buying the boys the items we have in mind for Christmas, and stopping the small $10/month donation we just recently committed to an organization. Oh wait… did I already start having the big adult temper tantrum He just told me not to have?

To be completely honest, I did have those thoughts, but only for a moment. When I put this circumstance, this piece of the puzzle, amongst the pieces of the whole puzzle – God’s ability, His Word, the dreams that have been stirring in Ron and my hearts for years, the needs of our family – it leaves me with an incredible amount of hopeful anticipation rather than paralyzing fear. (By the way, every one of our needs have been met since a two-thirds budget reduction over 2 years ago.)

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” Colossians 3:23-24

I am not working for “the” man… I get to work for “THE” Man! It is incredible to work in such confidence, knowing that I cannot fail if I am doing exactly as He prepares, equips and wills me to work. I am not suggesting that I’ll never go back to work or that the potential job was “bad” in some way or that there will never be a month in which there is not enough money – it’s just that “AMAZING” is always attached to the end of God’s plans, whereas, my ideas typically lead to “mediocre,” “ho-hum,” or big fat “FAILURE”.

The challenging truth is this:

Sometimes working for the Lord requires you… me… to do things that make absolutely no sense to us or to those around us, but it gives us the ability to continue in humble confidence… and to wait eagerly for the days ahead.

Do you have anything in your life in which logic and the world around you are driving your decision but yet there is an uneasiness in your heart?

• Keep the job/not keep the job
• Pursue a particular relationship/not pursue the relationship
• To buy/not buy
• College/no college
• More kids/no more kids
• Stay/go
• Give a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance/no more chances

I pray that God, if the illogical is His desire, will give you clarity, purpose and confidence in pursuing the illogical.