“God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
No other god does the work for people as individuals and nations. His word is full of promises to take care of everything. From start to finish, they all go something like this: Love me, obey my commands, trust me, wait for me.
These are the actions and attitudes you must embrace while he’s working.
Some think their part is to work really hard to help God orchestrate their success in whatever it is they want. They are often the ones smiling through clenched teeth holding out their achievement for the world to see while everything else in their life from health to relationships is in shambles. Others think God means for them to sit doing nothing while he works for them. They are like the man drowned in the flood who upon entering heaven asks why God didn’t answer his prayers for help as the waters rose up over his home. In reply, God says, “I sent a car, a boat, and a helicopter, but you denied them all claiming you were waiting for me to arrive.”
Where are you on this continuum between the two extremes?
Your part in God’s work requires active day-by-day choices. Each day move and stretch. Running may be out of the question, but how about lift up your arms and rotate those ankles? A body in motion does tend to stay in motion. Resist excess and bad habits. Spend some amount of time each day in prayer, meditation, and delving into the Bible. Don’t encumber yourself with heavy debt. Honor the amount of sleep you need. Watch out for what you allow into your mind because what’s inside of you comes out in words and actions.
Carve out committed time weekly to studying, writing, painting, building, or whatever it is that if continued will result in the dream of your mind and heart taking some shape in the real.
While you work on disciplining yourself to make good choices each day, God will continue working things out for you. He will regularly present you with opportunities to love, trust, and obey. He will call you into the next phase of his plan for you when you are ready for it.
You can’t be ready for your dream or God’s plan if you’re not practiced at loving, trusting, obeying, and waiting.