Stop Trying to Help God Out

Hey y'all! I know it has been a long time since I've made a post. 

I hope you are all doing well. Since I last posted, I have moved on campus at Clemson University and I am in my junior year of college. My junior year of college has been challenging and stressful, but I am getting through it. I will be applying to vet school this year, which is nerve-racking but exciting as well. Thankfully God has blessed me with so many new friends that are encouraging me during this stressful time. Something exciting that I'm doing this semester is I will be showing a dairy cow for one of my Animal and Veterinary Science classes. My cow's name is Millie Moo. :) 

Anyways, I wanted to share a message my pastor did this morning that really spoke to my heart. My pastor is in a series called "The Names of God." In Genesis 17:1, God calls himself El-Shaddai to Abram. 

El-Shaddai is a Hebrew word that means God Almighty or Almighty Sufficient One. 

Abram went 13 years without hearing from God and he was in his deepest doubt, but then the Lord spoke to him. In Genesis 15:1, the Lord told Abram "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward." Even when God is silent, he is still working in our lives. God is so mighty that he has the ability to rule and overrule the situations in our lives. 

God promised Abram a son of his flesh, but Abram grew impatient. In Genesis 16:1-4, Abram's wife, Sarai, was never able to bear children with him. So Abram decided to take the situation into his own hands and sleep with Sarai's Egyptian slave named Hagar so he could have a son to pass on his inheritance to. Hagar does bear Abram a son who is named Ishmael. Abram and Sarai tried to use the flesh to bring about the promise of God. I know I am guilty of this as well. Sometimes I get impatient with God in my circumstances and decide to come up with my own solution to my problems, but that isn't what God wants us to do. 

My pastor gave us three ways to apply this story to our lives:

1. God reveals himself to us out of the circumstances of our life. 

• God is completely in control of the situations we find ourselves in. 
• Sometimes we learn something about God in our painful circumstances. 

2. God has the power to fulfill every promise that he has made. 

• God Almighty will work it out even if we can't figure it out. 

3. God calls us to a life surrendered to His will. 

• Self-revelation is an invitation to walk closer with God. 
• Sometimes God may want to use the problem to draw you closer to him. 
• If you are still here, He is still God, and you still have hope. 

4. God has the ability to deliver me and sustain me until his deliverance comes. 

• In a season of waiting, we have to continue to put our hope and trust in God. 
• In Genesis 21:1-5, God delivered his promise to Abraham that Sarah would bear a son to Abraham in her old age. 

I want to go back to the second part of Genesis 17:1 which says, "walk before me faithfully and be blameless." To walk blameless does not mean to be a perfect person who never sins, but it means to fully surrender your life to God. 

God wants us to walk before him and stop trying to help him out. 

God wants us to walk before him and not get in his way. 

God wants us to walk before him and let him be in control. 

This really spoke to me because I feel like I am always trying to control my life. I need to let God be in control and trust him more. This semester has been really hard on me, my friends, and every college student I have talked to on campus. It's discouraging to see everyone struggling right now, especially my friends. I even cried out to God this past week because I didn't understand why my friends and I were struggling with so much right now all at the same time. 

I love people so much and want to help people and resolve their problems, but I have to remember that I can't change people or their situations. Only God can change others and their situations and I can't help God out. The best way I can love and help others is to love God first. 

The best thing I can do for myself and others is to work on my relationship with God. 

It's important that we draw close to God when we are struggling, trust that God is in control, and let him be in control of our lives. When you are struggling to understand why you or a loved one are going through a certain situation, remember that God may use that problem or situation to draw you or your loved one closer to him. 

I hope this post was encouraging to you today. If you haven't already, check out some of my other posts too. Also if you need someone to talk to or pray for you, I am here for you. I have a place on my blog where you can submit prayer requests and I will definitely pray for you. There is power in prayer. 

I hope everyone has a blessed Sunday and remember that Jesus loves you! Love you guys. Till next time.