You’re Here for a Reason

Several months ago I decided to blog once a week.  Down the toilet went my good intentions.  Between a new adventure at church, end of camping season, returning to creative writing for profit, and battling some personal upheavals, God’s Word Girl slipped by the wayside.  I actually signed in a few times and wheeled around my site, looking at posts, drafts, and stats and then logged off without so much as typing The.

Every now and again I look at my followers.  We are few in number.  I say “we” because I am my first follower, by accident, but then I let it be.  I figure if I’m not willing to follow myself how can I expect anyone else to?  (The details to that story can be found in The unIdentified Lone Follower @ https://godswordgirl.com/2018/11/09/the-unidentified-lone-follower/ ).  Sometimes I sigh.  Sometimes I feel defeated.  Believe it or not, a lot of work goes into this blog with no tangible pay and little encouragement — which I cherish.

I considered quitting.  But, like I said, I occasionally visit my stats.  I click on my followers and scroll the names and faces (where available) and I think, I can’t let this person down.  God’s Word Girl must go on as long as God says it must go on, paycheck  or no.  If doing this work costs me then let it be a sacrifice as unto the LORD.  

I look again at the names and the faces.  Sometimes I don’t look.  Sometimes I send up a prayer for you without your name and your face before me because you matter to me.  More importantly, you matter to God.

You are not in this world by accident.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  God knew you before He formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5), and He loved you . . . and still does.  God has a plan and a purpose for you (Jeremiah 29:11).  But lest you think all of your future is going to come to you gift wrapped and tied up in a pretty bow, look beyond to Jeremiah 29:12-13 which says when we call upon Him and pray, He will listen.  When we seek Him and search with all of our heart, He will be found by us.  Our relationship with Jesus must be one of consistent pursuing.  Isn’t that what we desire?  To be wanted?  To be pursued?  To be loved? 

Once pursuing is established, I have discovered that the plan and purpose God has for our lives often come in bits and pieces of information/revelation.  It’s what we do with those bits and pieces that is pivotal to what comes next.  I’ll use a couple of stories to illustrate.    

My Mum asked me if there was anything I would like for Christmas.  A few weeks earlier she had pointed out fleece lined knee high socks.  Generally I’m not a knee high sock kind of girl, but fleece lined, in winter, with my chilled feet?  There was nothing to deliberate.

“You know what, Mum?  I would like to have those socks you pointed out to me at the Amish store–that is, if you get back there before Christmas.”

Guess what?  On Christmas evening I was opening fleece lined knee high socks.  She hadn’t made it back to the store; she ordered them.  Did I feel loved?  Yes!  Privileged?  Yes!  Listened to?  Yes!!  Is my relationship with Mum contingent upon what she gives me?  Absolutely not!  But she asked and the socks were evident that she listened to my answer.

Let’s look at this in contrast.  The girls have an aunt who used to ask what they wanted for Christmas.  They would tell her and their answers often had to do with anything Barbie.  Mind you, none of their requests were unobtainable or expensive.  But rarely did they find what they requested in the packages she presented.  Do you know what happened?  They gave up telling her what they’d like to have, figuring she’d buy what she wanted to buy anyway, so the practice of question and answer fell by the wayside.  It wasn’t that the gifts they received weren’t nice, but they weren’t what the girls wanted. 

Likewise, if you intend to do as you wish anyway, (like the girls’ aunt), don’t ask God what He wants if you don’t truly want to know.  However, when we sincerely want to know what God wants, and He tells us what He wants, then we need to do as He says.  Know this: He will not be pacified by anything else.  Like us, He wants what He wants.  Unlike us, He knows the reason behind the request . . . as usually whatever He asks for is all part of a bigger, beautiful tapestry called Life.  He longs for the day when we can stand with Him and look at it and say, “Oh, I see now why You called for that color!  And that particular weave.  It’s beautiful!” 

Do you want to go to the next level?  I do.  So once we’ve settled that we are pursuing Holy Spirit, we are responsible for what He tells us.  I believe God has given me God’s Word Girl and that is why I won’t quit despite the times when I feel like my offering is insignificant.  I am not doing this faith walk perfectly, but I am doing the best that I can in the strength that the LORD has given to me.  If you are doing the same, then take to heart the encouraging words that I gladly received from the LORD through a prophet several months ago: “You are doing better than you think you are.” 

I repeat, you have a plan and a purpose.  You have a place in the body of Christ.  No one is going to do anything exactly the way you do.  You are necessary.  Do you see your potential?  I hope you do.  It is past time for us to seek the LORD with fervor and endeavor to fulfill our purpose.

Join me today in praying one for another and persisting in seeking and following God’s plan.  

My prayer for you today is a song.  I want to send you into 2021 with encouragement and assurance that you are needed and loved.