I’ve been staying out of town this week dog sitting, which is a regular occurrence for me. I had already been back into my town today to have lunch with an old friend and had driven back to the house I’m staying at. I started feeling like I NEEDED to be at church tonight. I got in my car and drove the 30 minutes back home, knowing I would be late (which is something I HATE. I would rather not go at all than be late.)
Tonight when I got to church, I felt like I was being spoken directly to. God promised Abraham that he would have a child, God gave Abraham that child, and then God asked Abraham to sacrifice is own child as a form of worship. Abraham was going to obey, he had bound his son and was about to kill him when the Angel stopped him. The question: “Are you willing to give up your blessings?” was asked, and that question hit me hard.

You see, I didn’t want to give up what I thought God had given me, what my mom thought had God had given me, and what so many people around me thought that God had given me.

I’ve been walking around with a heavy heart for a few weeks. I had something that I thought God had placed in my lap, something I had been waiting on for years. I soon realized that what I thought I had, hadn’t been God’s full plan for me. I had to give it up, and it hurt. To be honest, it still hurts even as I smile and go about my life.

I constantly have been going back to one scene in the movie, Facing the Giants. The coach’s wife has been struggling to get pregnant and in this one scene, she has once again found out that she isn’t pregnant, and she prays “I will still love you.”
It’s easy to praise and be thankful when we are on a mountain, but we struggle in the valleys.
On the good days, I will love you.
Even on the bad days, I will still love you.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away.

Be thankful when he gives you what you’re asking for. But even if not, He is still good.

Whether it’s a relationship, a baby, a new job, or whatever you are praying for….Are you willing to give up your blessings for the glory of God?