God's direction trumps our worries and fears

Thankfully, the Lord has provided me with adequate time and energy to reflect on things lately since arriving back home last week. One of the biggest lessons I've learned and continue to learn is that if the Lord wills for something to happen, it will happen. Regardless of perceived physical and mental incomptencies, the Lord will provide what is neccesary to bridge the gap if that's what he wants to happen. Heading into finals week this past semester, my two biggest concerns were trying to slightly boost my grade in a class which I was on the borderline with as well as keeping my small scholarship for the pending academic year. By God's grace, I was able to just barely (4 pt. cushion on a 100 pt. test) get the grade I was on the borderline with but just barely (0.05 GPA pt.) didn't do well enough to keep the scholarship. I was overjoyed with the former but understandably dissapointed with the latter. Most of my dissapointment was quelled in rethinking how I felt after finishing the test in the borderline class. I was just about positive that I didn't do well enough to make the next grade interval, but for some reason God granted me with that. Conversely, for some reason He didn't determine it to be best for me to keep the scholarship. This has helped to teach me that the Lord expects from His children only a heart that desires to please Him and work hard at whatever He puts before us. I've begun to see the scholarship removal as not so much of a loss, but more of a soverign event. There's no way for us to know how the Lord might weave present circumstances into the coming years of our lives for His plans and purposes. With this in mind, our second guessing and questioning of our decisions should be minimized in light of the reality that the Lord desires from us simply a heart that desires to please Him with what we do. We should ask for the Lord's wisdom and direction and choose confidently, knowing that the foundation for sound decision making has been established. My Mom is constantly reminding me not to focus on mapping the route to PA school, paying for college, etc. as much as to trust in the Lord, seek His direction, and give a full effort. May the Lord provide all of His children with this direction in the days to come that we may stand strong in Him no matter how tough things get.

In Him, Josh