Wonderfully foolish

Have you ever wondered what God would do, could do, if you gave Him the chance? Have you stopped to consider the potential ramifications of making faith a first response to circumstances instead of having to remind yourself that God is in control after an initial stressed-out period? What if your first response wasn't just to ask God what to do, but to just KNOW He would take care of it.

Some people will tell me that I have to live in reality, that I am being foolish. I say that I'm wonderfully happy with that kind of foolishness. They will tell me that God gives us the ability to reason and use logic so that we will use it. That may be true. But shouldn't that be the route we take after asking God how He wants us to handle something first?

Should we trust him only for big things? Only for little? Time and time again I have given up, loudly proclaimed, "I need you to handle this, God!" and He has... over and over. Whether the issue is big or small, He has come through. Sometimes I forget until I have stressed out about the issue for awhile. Other times He comes through faster than I can decide whether I am meant to let Him fix it or use the resources he's given me to take care of it myself, in His strength and provision.

How many stories can I tell you from just the last few weeks? Many. And the funny thing is, there are probably more times He has come through for me and I don't even know about them.  I'm just going to share this one story for the moment.

Here is what happened yesterday:

Applying for a grant that require that requires I bring original social security cards for the whole family. I grabbed the two I have (of five I needed), and told the woman behind the desk, "I can bring the other two in, I just don't have them. My ex-husband keeps them because he thinks I will lose them."

She told me I have only two weeks to do so or my application will be denied no matter what. Then she said, "Wait, there are five in your household. Whose card are we not accounting for?"

Sheepishly, I told her, "Mine. Um, I can't find it at the moment."

Next she went on to tell me that there were no substitutions allowed. If I didn't find it within two weeks, I would be denied for the program. I assured her I would find it while silently thinking about the boxes I needed to go through on the porch and telling God that I was really going to need His help with this one.

I left the office with the deadline on my mind, but had another appointment to get to. I didn't have time to think about it too much.

A few hours later I asked my ex-husband for the kids' cards. He put three cards in my hand. "You can keep yours if you want," He said. "I guess I've had it for 11 years."

Praise the Lord! :-) He knew exactly what I was going to need and when I would need... 11 years go.

Maybe some will think I was a fool for asking for help for something so small, but He keeps coming through for me... think I'm crazy for giving glory to God for something so "silly"? It's okay... I get you don't understand... you will!

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, 

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
~ 1 Corinthians 1:18