God’s Creativity
He is the God of all
creativity! Praise Him! One step at a time!
Have you heard about the Parable of the Mule?
It is a picture of creativity in the midst of adverse circumstances:
An old mule
fell into a well. The farmer found it but thought neither the well nor the mule
were worth saving so he called friends to help him shovel dirt into the well to
bury the mule and put it out of its misery. At first the mule was hysterical as
the first shovel of dirt hit his back. As this continued, it occurred to the
mule to shake it off and step up. This he did blow after blow. Shake it off and
step up. No matter how painful the blows or distressing the situation seemed,
the mule fought panic and just kept right on “shaking it off and stepping up”.
You guessed it! It wasn’t long until the old mule, battered and exhausted,
stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well! What seemed like it would bury
him alive, actually blessed
him…all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity. (author unknown)
The moral? If
we respond to our problems with positive actions, refusing to panic, become
bitter or wallow in self-pity; then God will use those adversities to our
benefit and bless us!
But how do we
do that when the trial is painful, overwhelming, consuming?
Learn from the
mule: Get active and do the right thing, one
step at a time!
Philippians 4
are the “steps we can take”
Where to start:
Verse 4 “Rejoice
in the Lord always, again I say rejoice”
Facing a trial
with THANKSGIVING, PRAISE and HOPE are excellent ways to “shake off the dirt of
a trial” Take the first step.
Take action and step up:
Verse 6 “Be anxious for nothing , but
in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests
to God”
As the trials of life pummel us, we have the option of being buried
alive in our anxiety or to take “one step at a time” by praising and praying. Pouring out our requests before God……like David did,
throughout the Psalms. He was not
shy to share his heartache, God was not shocked, and delivered David from his sorrows.
Psalm
34:18–19“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of
them all”
The result:
Verse 7 “And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus”
God is
triumphant when we experience His peace and step over the wall of our trial!
Shake off the
dirt, step up and climb out of the ‘well’ in which we find ourselves…….ONE STEP
AT A TIME.
Be patient,
the mule did not get out of the well with one step. It was a process.
Sometimes a long and painful process……but because of the promises in
God’s Word, He will help you:
“He
will deliver you out of them all”…..but you must take the first step,
“Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, again I say rejoice”
James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many
kinds”
Our loving God
“permits what He could prevent”. He
has prevented and protected us from so much; and we thank Him. However, there
is something that takes more faith and a deeper trust—and that is to thank Him
for what He has permitted. Rather than questioning, ‘How could a loving
God allow this to happen?’ How could He allow our children to experience a
failed marriage? What about children who are left behind when the parents are
killed in a tragic accident? Can we thank Him and praise Him still? If we
choose to see God in the midst of our circumstances, and remember His
creativity in weaving trials, events and losses ---that He permitted--- to
bring about our salvation; then we can fully trust God to bring about his
purposes and plans through the things He allows to happen in our lives and in
the lives of those we love. He is the God of wisdom and as we praise Him for
what He, in His wisdom, has allowed; it becomes the first STEP toward
acceptance. Peace will come to our hearts as we accept the fact that he has
EVERYTHING under control! And His plan and purpose is well thought out by a
very creative God who “works everything
according to the purpose of His will.” (Eph. 1:11)
A quote I read
some years ago says it best: “The
pressure I feel…is but the squeeze of God’s hands on my life as He is shaping
me.” (author unknown)
It is a reflection
of Isaiah 64:8
“You
are our Father, we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of
Your hand.”
How secure I
feel when my focus is on Him as my Potter and I am His clay! I know that He is
fully trustworthy no matter what He permits or prevents in my life or the lives
of my loved ones.
And when a trial comes……….TAKE THE FIRST STEP………..and rejoice in Him!
He is the God of all
creativity! Praise Him! One step at a time!
I would love to hear from
you! Please send your comments or
questions
dianne.doty@hotmail.com
