I don’t know about you, but I personally, can stress out about things not happening when they should.  It sounds silly as I write it but sadly, it’s true.  For example, I wanted to leave at the beginning of July to go to Albania, but if money keeps coming in at the same rate it has been, that won’t happen. So what do I do? I try to figure out what I need to do to make it happen.  I think, “well what if I did this this and this and people responded like this this and this.”  (Did you notice all the I’s, i’s, ‘i’s?)

Making things happen is great…if you’re making them happen with God. Too many times I try to rush God, like I know when something should happen. Today, I read this from Jon Acuff:

If God worked according to my time frame & demands, he’d be my employee, not my Emmanuel. God keeps his own, perfect time.

I do know this. I really do. But sometimes I get caught up in what I need to do instead of asking God what I need to do (or sometimes, when I need to do something).  But do I really treat God as an employee? Isn’t that a little harsh? Maybe. But it’s true. I find myself expecting and sometimes asking God to do what I want. Wait that does sound like I’m treating Him as my employee.

God doesn’t do what we want when we want. In fact, we should be doing what God wants when HE wants. But one thing that is so amazing is that He is, in fact, our Emmanuel or God with us.  With us. Not watching from way over there, giving directions and watching what happens.  He is a hands-on God.  He is with us. Helping us along.  If we let Him.  Which we should because let’s face it. God knows what’s best.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope   —Jeremiah 29:11

It says God knows the plans HE has for us. Not the plans we have for ourselves. I don’t know about you, but God’s plans are usually way more awesome than mine ever turn out to be (even in my head).  So I’m going to make sure God stays my Emmanuel and not get treated like an employee and see what kind of amazingness He has in store for me this year!

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