Unplanned But Part of God’s Plan

Impossible? Depends Who You Ask

Rosemary Flaaten –

Have you ever felt like God was calling you to do the impossible? You believe He created you and that He knows you more intimately than you know yourself, but you just can’t help but wonder if somehow He got you mixed up with someone else. The job before you is far beyond your natural capabilities, outside your comfort zone or just plain impossible. Why would God ask you to do something that is seemingly unattainable?

I wonder how many people down through history have asked this same question. Did William Wilberforce ever feel that challenging the established slave trade was too daunting? Did Mother Teresa ever feel overwhelmed by the needs surrounding her? The young maiden virgin, given the responsibility to bear the Saviour, asked “But how can this be?” (Luke 1:34). Great callings always seem out of reach.

What has God brought into your line of vision, prompting you to pursue? Is it a new position at work? Is it to take the ministry He has given you to a wider audience? Is it to uproot your family, starting again in a new community with new friends and neighbours? Is it to be still and do less?

The apostle Paul revelled in his inadequacies by claiming that God’s grace is sufficient and that God’s power is made perfect in our weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). The second part to this verse gives us a peek into how this happens. “Christ’s power may rest upon me.” This is a similar statement to the angel’s promise to the Virgin Mary: “The power of the Highest [will] hover over you” (Luke 1:35 MSG).

The only way we will accomplish the purpose which God has put on our lives is to have His Spirit “move in on [our] weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG). Having the Spirit hover over us will empower us, emblazon us and propel us.

Rather than focusing on the impossibilities that lie before us, let’s keep God as our focal point, trusting that He not only calls but equips. Just as Peter walked on the water, may we seize the opportunities that God brings, trusting that His Spirit is resting upon us. Then we can say with conviction: With God all things are possible.

PRAYER: Spirit of the Living God may You rest upon me, filling me with courage, strength and an unwavering conviction to follow You wherever You lead.

“For nothing is impossible with God” (Luke 1:37 NLT).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

Dousing Anger

By Rosemary Flaaten –

“I can’t believe what she did to me. She swooped in and sweet-talked the boss into letting her have the big project—the one that was slated for me, and then she went on to brag about it. When I confronted her, she started ranting and slashing my character right in front of our coworkers.  I felt so humiliated.  I am never going to forgive her for what she did to me. You know what, she better watch her back because I’m not letting go of this.”

Does anything in this story sound familiar? Someone upsets us and we hold onto the anger that surfaces, perhaps even choosing to retaliate. And as we coddle this anger, its tentacles go deeper and deeper into our soul, strangling any chance of moving past the injustice, let alone having good come of it. Anger, when nursed, becomes a roaring fire within us.

So what do we need to do to douse the fire and stop the destructive nature of anger? Choosing to step away from any opportunity with which we are presented or may pursue to even the score, is always the first step.

The second step is to let go of the hurt by choosing to forgive. We may think that if we have to forgive the same person over and over again, then at some point it will be understandable for our goodwill to expire. This was the Apostle Peter’s mentality when he asked Jesus to affirm that forgiving seven times was more than sufficient (Matthew 18:21). The Jewish law considered it presumptuous and unnecessary to forgive more than three times. Jesus’ response to Peter’s self-congratulatory statement was to forgive as He would: seventy times seven.

Most often, this is as far as we take the topic of forgiveness. Don’t retaliate, forgive and let go. But I believe the biblical story of Joseph adds one final piece to the picture. Joseph chose to show kindness and goodness to the very brothers who had wronged him (Genesis 50:19-21). When we choose to do good to someone, even if it is just kind thoughts toward them, the stranglehold of anger loses its power within us.

Forgiveness diffuses anger.  Kindness douses it completely.

PRAYER: As this new year begins, may I choose a new path that enables me to pursue ways to show kindness to those who have wronged me.

“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life” (Ephesians 4:26-27 The Message).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

Lessons from a Musty Motel

Rosemary Flaaten –

As we approached the motel where I would be spending the weekend, I knew my lodging was going to be substandard. I braced myself for what I would find when I entered my room. As I walked into that dank and wreaking room, my heart sank. The scratched furniture, the stained carpet and the quilted bedspread shouted from the 70’s. Hoping to find that at least the bathroom had been updated, I flipped on the switch only to discover a sink sporting an age-old chip turned rusty, a toilet wobbling on uneven tiles and black mold thriving on the tiles surrounding the tub. These premises screamed neglect.

My disappointment fuelled frustration, which quickly gave way to anger. Didn’t these people know who I was? I had travelled thousands of miles, was spending the weekend away from my family, had put countless hours preparing for this conference and this is all they had to offer. I was entitled to better.

And then a thought pierced my egocentric prerogative. I wonder how Jesus felt leaving the splendours of heaven and coming to live in rustic Judea? Streets paved with gold to dusty trails. Mansions full of gems to sheds full of cattle.  Choirs of angels to clash of swords. The King of Kings, Creator of the Universe, a perfectly relating member of the Trinity entered our dank and wreaking world as a baby. The Christmas carol rang through my consciousness reminding me that He didn’t even have a crib for a bed. He came from everything to nothing.

Slowly the scales came off my eyes. My dirty carpet, mouldy tub and lumpy bed took on new meaning.  Maybe God was calling me not just to speak the words of His Son but to live a life that reflected His Son and to have the attitude of His Son. I saw with a much deeper meaning these words penned about Jesus: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8 NIV).

That weekend, spent in substandard accommodations, proved invaluable. God had sent me to that place to speak a message to those people but He had also had a specific message for this messenger. If Jesus could leave the splendours of heaven for 33 years and come to earth so that each of us could have an intimate and saving relationship with God, then how small of a sacrifice is it for me to spend two days in such conditions so that people can hear His message of hope. Entitlement gave way to gratitude. Haughtiness gave way to humility. Pettiness gave way to passion.

This Christmas, every chance I get I am going to sing Away in a Manger with gusto and gratitude for the One who came to the substandard accommodations my world had to offer so that I could have hope.

PRAYER: As we celebrate Your birth, may our hearts be widened to appreciate the true significance of the Gift You brought to us.

“A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master” (Matthew 10:24 NIV).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.

The Fear of Change

By Rosemary Flaaten –

Imagine a crazy man running around your neighborhood naked, screaming obscenities and breaking free of all attempts to restrain and confine him. Initially this would seem horrific but over time his lunacy might became a normal part of your community fabric.

One day Jesus, who has become known for healing even the worst malady, came into a town and was met by their village lunatic. Rather than brushing him aside, Jesus stopped and confronted him. He didn’t ridicule but He did confront the source of this man’s problem. In doing so, the evil spirits that had strangled this man’s humanity were thrust into a herd of pigs who promptly threw themselves into the sea. It is no surprise that the town was abuzz. As the news traveled at lightning speed, people came out of their homes to check it out for themselves. The pigs that had drowned in the sea below the cliff were there for all to see, but what was even more astounding was that their village lunatic was dressed and sitting peacefully at the feet of Jesus.

What do you think would be your response to this event if it had happened in your community? Would you be intrigued, thankful or afraid?  The townspeople in this biblical account may have experienced all of these emotions but the one that is noted is that they were afraid. Why would fear be the paramount emotion in this situation?

I believe the answer lies in our fear of change. Even abnormalities are comforting when we become used to them. The thought of having life suddenly turned upside down can cause many of us to experience anxiety, even if the change is for the better. I recently spoke to a woman named Betty who worked in an emotionally abusive environment but when given the opportunity to move into another department, struggled with the fear of the unknown. I was saddened to learn that she had chosen to remain in the unhealthy milieu because she feared moving into the unknown.

Just as the townspeople ran Jesus out of town because they were overcome with fear, I wonder how often we flee the presence of God because we fear the change that may be dawning. Have we withdrawn from intimacy with our sacred Lover because it is getting too personal and we fear having to make changes to the way we are accustomed to living?

The only way to truly counteract fear in our lives is to replace it with trust. If the townspeople had trusted that Jesus had come to offer them life in its fullest and that He had everyone’s best interest at heart, would they have embraced this Miracle Worker instead of banishing Him?  If Betty had sought after God’s will and had trusted that He was providing her a way out of the abusive workplace, would she have moved through the door that God had opened for her? If we truly trust that God loves us just as we are, would we allow His loving embrace and His extravagant love for us to seep into the core of our being and change our response to Him? Perfect love drives out fear. May our hearts be open to being filled to overflowing with the perfect love of Jesus. In that place, there will be no lunatics, abusers or Lovers to fear.

QUOTE:  “Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learn here.” (Unknown)

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1John 4:18 NIV).

Today’s Devotional is by Rosemary Flaaten. Her successful book, A Woman and Her Relationships helps women process their outside-of-work relationships, so now she’s delving into these 9-5 relationships in A Woman and Her Workplace. Her Relationships book won The Word Guild Award, which is Canada’s top Christian literary honor. A dynamic speaker—Rosemary challenges women of all professions to view their work as a calling and their workplaces as opportunities to live out Christ’s love. Rosemary lives with her husband and three children in Calgary, Canada.