YOU NEVER ASKED ME
- Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
- Jul 3, 2018
- 5 min read
"It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people’s minds. Yet, mortals still can’t grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end of time. I realize that there’s nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives." -Ecclesiastes 3: 11-12 (GW)
I think I had a breakthrough this morning! As you have heard me say before, “I really struggle with Ecclesiastes 3:11.” I mean it’s my constant complaint before God. Please understand I’m not shy to let God know things that bother me to no end or things I absolutely hate. I woke up early this morning, and I felt to read this passage again for the millionth time. I struggled with this feeling. I didn’t want to hear again, "Everything is made beautiful in HIS time!"
Finally, I gave in so I could go back to sleep. “Ya, ya, GOD, I know. So tell me again something YOU know I hate.” But something happened as I read this passage. It just hit me, more like a punch right in my face. We tend to “park” on a few words never fully comprehending what comes before or after.
This morning what came after just hit me. I pray you see what I saw in this passage. After that famous, "He makes everything beautiful in His time." It goes on to say two very important things to keep our hope alive, to keep us trusting in a GOD that really makes everything beautiful in HIS time, to encourage us to keep going and never give up. Finally to recognize and enjoy what HE has given us already that brings us joy and happiness.
1. "Yet, mortals still can’t grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end of time." You see, while we are waiting for the beautiful to happen, GOD is doing what HE needs to do so that when we get it, it’s beautiful. We can’t grasp all HE is doing behind the scenes to make it beautiful in order for us to receive it. Let me give you this example.
I hate to bake. I love to cook. I cook everything from scratch.
There’s nothing I can’t cook. My closest friends joke with me about this problem I have about hating baking. I can make homemade everything. From homemade pasta to homemade cheese, canning, jams, and even homemade prosciutto. Just don’t ask me to bake a cake cause I might burn down the house.
One of my pastor’s wives and very good friend once told me, “I know why you can’t bake a cake and yet you're an amazing cook. It’s because your impatient.” She’s right! I figured out this morning why I hate baking so much after reading this. It’s because I want the piece of that dessert now. I try to hurry to make the dessert, I end up messing it all up. Like when I tried making homemade chocolate chip cookies, trying to prove I could bake. I had the flour in the electric mixer but turned it on before I added the liquid. The flour went all over the kitchen, just flying everywhere, all over me, my mom, and my kids as they watched me trying to turn off the electric mixer. Flour was everywhere, and when I stepped on the flour-coated granite tiles, I ended up being sent flying across the room, landing on the ground. Funny now, but my mom wasn’t laughing. The clean up was horrible.
Stay with me in this story of mine. I know I gave you quite the visual, but this is exactly what happens in our dreams and desires when we try to make something happen when we want it so fast. My hurry-up-and-make-these-cookies attitude that I desired at exactly that moment made me take short cuts which caused me hours of clean up. That flour went all over the kitchen, all over me and my kids. We all had to take showers, and I landed on the floor as I slipped on the granite. Flour on granite is like black ice on the ground. My body hurt for days and shades of black and blue. I looked like someone beat me with a baseball bat. You see, this is the aftermath of trying to get our own way when we are not ready for it. "Mortals can’t grasp what GOD is doing from beginning to end.”
2. "I realize that there’s nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives." This was my big wow moment this morning. Why God was insisting I re read yet again, this passage. GOD has been trying to tell me, “Stop! Just stop, with wanting things your way, and on your time table. I got something much better then just giving you want you want right now. Wait! And in the wait, enjoy your life. Enjoy all the good things I’ve given you already. Be filled with joy, and be at peace. Throughout your lifetime, I give you what you need and when you need it. Remember every good gift is given by me. Wait for me to perfect that which I promised you. It will not delay. It shall come just in time!”
Wow, GOD! So I asked GOD, “Couldn’t YOU just have told me this before?” I loved GOD’s response. “You never asked me!” Oh, I hate embarrassing responses don’t you? Like that wasn’t a response filled with admiration from GOD. It was like, “You should know better! You ask everything else of me, why didn’t you ask me about this, too? It’s because you had an attitude about MY Word. You didn’t like my Word, because it went against what you wanted. So you decided to make fun in your spirit about My Word. My Word, brings life into your dry bones, and makes you live again. That’s right I make everything beautiful in My time, not yours. Remember the mess you made in trying to bake those chocolate chip cookies, all because you wanted to take a short cut to make them faster? Nothing good comes out of wanting things your way and on your timetable. Wait for My hand to bring what you want and what you need. I know what you need, and I will deliver it on time; And there will be no messes to clean up, and no pain physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Beautiful things are created in My timetable!”
I believe this message is for all of us.
There’s nothing for me to wrap up.
God said it all to us today!
Comments