“We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.” (Romans 8:28, The Voice Bible)
This verse is often turned to in times of trouble, when we hang onto the truth that God will somehow make something good out of this mess. The current situation surrounding Ferguson, Missouri comes to mind. But, what if it applies to times of Thanksgiving as well?
About 10 years ago, our whole family was on a mission trip to Mexico. Our group was working with a church in Saltillo. Our family really bonded with the family of the pastor of that little church. His wife had cancer at the time. Every day during that week, she would teach Vacation Bible School in the morning, cook lunch for our team, drive about 100 miles to Monterrey to receive chemotherapy treatments, come back home and rest for the evening, and be ready for the same thing the next day. She was so inspiring!
On the last day, the pastor and I were sent down the street on an important mission: to go buy more tortillas! We had a great talk and I really tried to encourage him. They were pouring their lives into ministry and there was really no one to minister to them. However, I received more encouragement than I delivered that day. He told me that they had stopped asking, “Why.” Instead, they were asking, “What for?” In other words, “God, what do you want us to do with this that will bring You the most glory.”
I have often thought of and recounted that story over these past 10 years. Instead of asking “why” in difficult circumstances, how about asking “what for?”
And then, yesterday, I had a new “aha moment.” How about asking “what for” in times of blessing and thanksgiving? We don’t typically ask why we are blessed. We just accept it and often take it for granted. I’m not suggesting we SHOULD ask why, but I AM suggesting we should ask “what for.”
“God, in this time of blessing and abundance, when my prayers have been answered, when we are well and our needs are met, what do you want us to do with this that will bring You the most glory? How can we be good stewards of the resources with which you have blessed us?”
Question: How might that kind of “what for” give you a new perspective?
Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
