God's ways are higher than my ways. When I start stressing out because things aren't going my way, I would do well to remember that Father knows best.
The ladies Bible study I am going to be teaching is supposed to start a week from today. It's not going to happen. It will probably happen - just not next week. It is going to be delayed. I have poured countless hours into the creation of the material, stayed up until 2am to get it finished, and took a day off work to get it delivered so everything necessary could be accomplished before the start date of January 8, 2015. And after doing everything in my power to make the deadline, circumstances beyond my control are preventing it from starting on time.
When I found out last night, I was frustrated and angry. I did my part. Why couldn't the other people involved get their part done? Why did it seem this was important only to me and to no one else? If nobody cares about the study, why bother doing it? Maybe I should just cancel it altogether. That's what I'll do, I decided. I just won't teach it at all. I texted the women's group leader to let her know. She said instead of cancelling, we could postpone it a week. I told her I'd rather not do it at all. She texted back that it was up to me and to let her know if I changed my mind.
I rang in the new year angry and frustrated and feeling sorry for myself. Not how I wanted to start the year at all. I went to bed shortly after midnight and when I woke this morning, knew what I needed to do. God called me to teach. He didn't call me to pitch a fit when things don't go my way and cancel my class because of an inflated sense of self-importance and pride. I texted Pam and apologized and told her I'd like to start the class a week late. Later this afternoon, I contacted all the women who signed up for the class. I had to let them know the start would be delayed a week. Not one of the women I spoke to was upset or disappointed by the delay. Every one of them stated how much they were looking forward to the teaching and were just glad they could be a part of it, whenever it was to start. Three of the ladies were thankful it was starting later because they would have had to miss the first class had it started on the 8th as planned. My ways are not your ways. I hung my head in shame. I nearly let my over-inflated ego cause me to cancel the class that was meant to bless these women. I realize now that the delay was not caused by other people, but was part of God's plan. When things don't go my way, I need to remember that it may be going God's way. Father knows best.
2015 may have had an emotionally rocky start for me, but the first day of the new year is ending with a lesson learned that I hope will carry me through the rest of the year: His ways are not my ways, and Father knows best.
The ladies Bible study I am going to be teaching is supposed to start a week from today. It's not going to happen. It will probably happen - just not next week. It is going to be delayed. I have poured countless hours into the creation of the material, stayed up until 2am to get it finished, and took a day off work to get it delivered so everything necessary could be accomplished before the start date of January 8, 2015. And after doing everything in my power to make the deadline, circumstances beyond my control are preventing it from starting on time.
When I found out last night, I was frustrated and angry. I did my part. Why couldn't the other people involved get their part done? Why did it seem this was important only to me and to no one else? If nobody cares about the study, why bother doing it? Maybe I should just cancel it altogether. That's what I'll do, I decided. I just won't teach it at all. I texted the women's group leader to let her know. She said instead of cancelling, we could postpone it a week. I told her I'd rather not do it at all. She texted back that it was up to me and to let her know if I changed my mind.
I rang in the new year angry and frustrated and feeling sorry for myself. Not how I wanted to start the year at all. I went to bed shortly after midnight and when I woke this morning, knew what I needed to do. God called me to teach. He didn't call me to pitch a fit when things don't go my way and cancel my class because of an inflated sense of self-importance and pride. I texted Pam and apologized and told her I'd like to start the class a week late. Later this afternoon, I contacted all the women who signed up for the class. I had to let them know the start would be delayed a week. Not one of the women I spoke to was upset or disappointed by the delay. Every one of them stated how much they were looking forward to the teaching and were just glad they could be a part of it, whenever it was to start. Three of the ladies were thankful it was starting later because they would have had to miss the first class had it started on the 8th as planned. My ways are not your ways. I hung my head in shame. I nearly let my over-inflated ego cause me to cancel the class that was meant to bless these women. I realize now that the delay was not caused by other people, but was part of God's plan. When things don't go my way, I need to remember that it may be going God's way. Father knows best.
2015 may have had an emotionally rocky start for me, but the first day of the new year is ending with a lesson learned that I hope will carry me through the rest of the year: His ways are not my ways, and Father knows best.
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