Working Alongside God

So many times I want God to just magically change something or do an action. But that's not always the case. In fact, I find that I sometimes impatiently take care of a problem or issue before waiting for God's reply. It can create frustration on my part. Even thinking, where is God? Does he care? The Psalms are full of David's cries about this. (Psalm 13 for one.) Yet, he always ends up glorifying God.

Recently I heard a point made in a Bible study. God wants us to work alongside Him. He doesn't want to do all the work. He wants us to work with Him. How many times do you read that He tells His prophet or disciple to go or do something? Think about Jonah - go to Nineveh. Think about Peter - go to the lake and fish to get a coin (Matthew 17:27), or submerge your net in the deeper part of the lake (Luke 5:4).

Wouldn't it have been easier for God to just do it Himself? Of course. But then where would the relationship growth have been? Think about it...if you as a parent always spoon feed your child then when does your child learn to feed himself?

Now I'm not saying we need to solve all our problems in our own will power. That leads to self sufficiency and a lack of dependency on God. What I am saying is that when you ask God for a solution or direction, wait and He will instruct you, but He won't do it for you. He wants us to work, and will walk alongside us in all we do. We are not alone in anything we do. He's there with us.

I love that thought. He's with me. Everywhere.

There have been times when I'm too tired to think about making dinner. If I ask Him what I should eat, He makes suggestions. I love that. But, it is up to me to put together the meal. Has He left me because He didn't make the food suddenly appear, prepared ready for me to consume? No. He guides me through the preparation time.

You may think this is a silly example but I hope it gets the message across. The work God directs me to do is in order to teach me more and draw me closer to Him. As He guides me through the steps needed to complete an assignment, I learn more about His guiding grace and trust Him in a new way. And without realizing it my faith grows. Walking and working alongside God brings me back to the thought that there is always hope.