Pass the Mustard....Seed

So it's been a bit since my last blog...my sincerest apologies.  I have had the last few weeks off from school and have soaked up some much needed time with family and friends.  Have no doubt God continues to work in my life...even without blogging. 

Last week a co-worker friend was unexpectedly diagnosed with a horrific cancer.  (I say that as if all cancer isn't horrific because let's face it, it is!)  The news has come as quite a shock to many friends that have worked with her.  She is one of those people that is amazing and doesn't even realize it.  A truly beautiful soul.  She has touched more  lives than she will ever realize.   I have prayed for her (and her battle) every day since the news was shared with me.  And although the prognosis is not favorable...God is bigger than any prognosis.  And His plan always wins out.  And although I know this and believe this...there is still the tendency to ask 'why?'.  It is hard to understand what God is thinking and to understand why and/or how this could happen.  It's moments like these we have to remember the things we do know and let go of the fact we don't have all the answers.  We can't put a question mark where God puts a period.

Romans 8:28
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

We may not understand the why....but we have to remember God uses everything for good (assuming you believe 'good' to be using everything to bring Him glory.  Clearly I do!).  Horrible circumstances, bad things, pain, suffering, etc. exists in this world BUT God will use all of these things to His greater glory.  Unfortunately, our narrow minded view cannot always see the greater glory.  We don't understand because we are held captive by time and circumstance.  We set a timeline of when we expect to see good come out of something and when that clock expires, we get angry. 

I have a close friend that lost a dear friend several years ago.  And we often discuss how palpable the pain still is today for her...and she often shares the fact she doesn't understand why God chose to take her friend away.  Every time we talk, my heart hurts because I just want to answer the 'why?'.  And I can't.  But I do believe in my heart...her friend's death was not in vain.  And good will come out of it at some point in time.  It just isn't according to our time.  It is according to His.  And this is so hard to accept.  We just have to remember to hold onto the promises, the answers we do have and let faith do the rest.

Holding onto the faith in this equation is probably the absolute most challenging thing to do.  And I think this is exactly why we really only need a small amount of faith to do great things.

Luke 17:6
The Lord answered, "If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "May you be uprooted and thrown into the sea," and it would obey you!

I think we only need faith the size of a mustard seed to do great things because FAITH is really hard to achieve.  It seems easy to have faith when life is going according to our plan.  It is much more challenging when life is going according to God's plan...particularly when God's plan isn't exactly your plan.

We just have to remember that time is nothing to God.  God uses everything for His purpose...accordingly to His watch.  Not ours.  Our responsibility is to trust He is using everything for good.  That is what He promised and that is what we can expect.  Nothing more, nothing less. 

So as we are forced to accept tough news, scary diagnoses, or the unexpected loss of a friend, we have to remember God's glory will shine through it.  At some point in time...according to His plan.

A question mark, a mustard seed and His plan,

Ashley Lucille

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