HOW HAS GOD WORKED IN YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR?!
Reflecting back over the last year I have come to realize a lot of things. One of the biggest things is the realization of how slow and steady God will work in your life once He knows you have opened the door. As I look back over the past twelve months I can see it clearly.
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| JENN TRUMM JONES |
He has given me clarity of myself through my oldest daughter, for one. She is a lot like me - in looks and personality. Seeing the things she is experiencing and going through have given me insight to my own personality. Some of the things I see, I don't like - others I have come to realize are actually assets rather than the liability I used to see them as. Slow and steady.
He has brought many people into my life over the past year that I would not have otherwise met. People with different experiences, views and outlooks that have enriched my life and given me new knowledge. These people range in age, background, profession, and personality - but each one has brought something to me that I didn't have before. Slow and steady.
He has brought me information through reading, studying, and various other sources that has increased my knowledge in various areas, therefore giving me more confidence. Over the years some have perceived me to be a very confident person, but it has only been recently that I have felt that way about myself. Slow and steady.
He has taught me many, many lessons over the past year that have proven valuable. Every struggle and obstacle that I have had, He has turned into a learning opportunity. Through these lessons He has shown me how to temper myself and be more patient. Slow and steady.
I was listening to someone on the radio yesterday that said God has two speeds - slow and steady or quick and suddenly. He moves at the speed He knows you are ready for. Looking back at what has transpired over the past year, I am glad He moved slowly because it is teaching me patience. Patience I desperately needed in my life! Perhaps someday He will kick it up a notch, but until then I know that every day I am taking another step forward in His plan. It has taught me to appreciate what He is doing in my life. If He was moving quickly in my life, I am not sure that I would take the time to notice it was Him. He knows me so well.
Though at times when we are being taught patience, it seems like it is an eternity before things start to change - when we take a moment to look back, we can see exactly what changes have come about and learn to appreciate how God walks us slowly through the changes in our lives. Some of us don't handle change well, and proceed at a snail's pace because we are resisting it - sometimes without even realizing it.
Though my mind moves quickly and I am often times wanting things to hurry up and happen, I have come to realize that God knows best for me. If He has determined that I need to slow down, who am I to argue? Patience, consistency, balance, determination, steadfastness, and discernment are areas where I have been weak. Proceeding at a slow steady pace is how He is teaching me each one.
