Flapping Around

This week we had the privilege of rescuing a hummingbird from our garage - it is not the first time and I hope it won't be the last, because I love seeing these little creatures up close.  They are a reminder of God's wonderful design and plan in the way He has created everything around us.

This time with the hummingbird, though, I had a new observation about life ~ although our family had the best of intentions to help him get out of the garage, because he was panicking in efforts to escape, we couldn't help him until he settled down.  As I pondered this, it began to remind me of how I must respond to God sometimes.  Even though I know in my head that He has the best of intentions for me, when circumstances around me are not going the way I would hope or want, I can be found flapping around and panicking.  This takes me to the same place as that little hummingbird, in that God will have a hard time helping me if I can't rest in Him. 

How do we rest when we feel like overwhelmed with life?  We need to remind ourselves of WHO God is and WHAT He desires to do for us.  There are so many places in the Word that assure us of God's good intentions for our lives and not for evil.  Psalm 34 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." And Psalm 100 says that, "The Lord is good and his love endures forever."  Then Psalm 119 tell us, "You (God) are good and what you do is good."  There are many more references, but they give us the same assurance - God has good to bring into our lives and when that is not what we "see" happening around us, we need to trust that the good will come and claim what He has promised for us.

One of my favourite verses is found in Jeremiah 29:11, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" Rest in knowing He has the best plans for you!