I’m doing a fabulous Bible Study on the topic of prayer right now called “Living a Praying Life.” One of the first questions in the study discusses times we have been disappointed with the outcome to specific prayers.

The author asks whether now, looking back at the situation (if some time has passed),  you understand more clearly why God may have answered your prayers and directed your steps differently than you had hoped for or requested of Him.

I couldn’t help but think back to a time in my life when I interviewed for a “dream job” as Senior Editor and Director of Communications for a well-known organization in Washington D.C. I was told my offer letter was in the mail and I was sure this job would take my career to new heights.

A few days later, while sitting on a Florida beach before a friends wedding, I got a call from the VP of the company. In an unforeseen series of events, the board of directors had called an emergency budgetary meeting and several positions had been cut as a result. Mine was included.

My “dream job” ended before it even began! I sat down on the warm sand quickly as though I had been punched in the stomach. I couldn’t speak. “This can’t be happening,” I told my husband. “How could this be God’s will?!” “Why would He bring me so close to my dream job and then take it away?”

My husband sought to console me the best he knew how – with words of truth from Scripture. That God knows the plans that He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and they are plans to prosper and not harm me, to give me a hope and a future.

He reminded me of the Sovereignty of God and His promise to lead me in the best plan for my life – where and how I can glorify Him best. Proverbs wisely tells us that “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9).

Looking Back with Thanksgiving

Country singer Garth Brooks has a song that says, “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers…” While I agree with the sentiment of the song, I don’t believe that any prayers are really unanswered. They are simply answered differently than we may have hoped in that moment at that time.

I look back now at that moment almost a decade ago and rejoice that God knew what He was doing. I began another job, but shortly after God gave us the gift of our first child and I chose to quit work and stay at home.

Now, almost 7 years and 4 kids later, I see what a different path and plan He had for me than what I had originally envisioned. And it is exactly where I need to be.

Is there a plan you had, a direction you had purposed in your heart to go – and then the door was slammed shut in your face? Did you find yourself disappointed with God or doubting His goodness as a result?

Perhaps you still don’t understand why things have happened the way that they have. I want to encourage you today that God has plans for your life to do you good and bring Him glory. We are finite and don’t always see the big picture – but God does.

Sometimes what we think is good is not that good for us after all – but it may take some time for us to realize it. In the mean time, we can make a choice to trust God’s loving faithfulness towards us which will never fail and cling to His promises:

“The Lord God will give grace and glory. No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

Every year on my birthday, I ask God to speak to me a word that will be my motto or focus for that year. This year my birthday came at a time when I had just had a newborn (I am still in this fog, by the way) and eager for God to give me vision and direction for the year ahead (which I know may prove to be an intense one in many ways).

This is the Scripture that The Lord has graciously given to me for my 36th year of life and I wanted to share it with you today in hopes that it will help to provide you with new vision and purpose as well:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG)

Learning the Unforced Rhythms of Grace

This phrase, “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” began to marinate in my soul as I seemed to repeat it again and again over the next several days. I knew that this is what God is challenging me to learn and yet there is a mystery involved.

How does one learn these rhythms? I looked up the definition of “rhythm” in the dictionary and it was quite helpful in providing me with some insight. It is “a strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.”

My mind immediately leapt to my daughter and her violin practice every day. As she picks up her instrument and bow every day, she repeats the same movements, notes, sounds. They form together to become rhythms, tempos, songs. She learns to “ride the rhythm” of the songs the more that she repeats them, day after day, note after note.

She forgets these rhythms if she stops practicing. “Mom, can you play that song again? I can’t seem to remember the tune,” she may say.

Rhythms of Daily Life

God has called us each to play a specific piece, if you will, again and again in this season. Your piece will look different than mine, your rhythm may be faster or slower, louder or softer – but there will be a rhythm to what He has called you to do.

My task (and your task, too!) if I will choose to accept it is to discover the rhythm He beckons me to play and to play it well, again and again, each and every day.

Once I get into that rhythm of grace, that rhythm of rest, how will I know when I am moving away from it? Catch the word “unforced” in the passage above. When I try to force something to happen where there is no grace, no energy, no margin to achieve it, it is simply out of the rhythm of life God is calling me to in this season. When I try to carry heavy burdens to prove that I am capable, sufficient, or strong instead of bearing the “easy and light” yoke that comes from His sustaining presence and His irrevocable calling, I shift and buckle under the weight.

Those around me may bear the consequences as a result.

If you hear yourself saying how hard or unbearable life is, that may be a good indicator that you have stepped out of the “unforced rhythm” of God’s grace and picked up some burdens He isn’t calling you to bear. It may also be that you are trying to carry it all without His help and guidance.

The year ahead of us is sure to be a messy, challenging, beautiful one: full of love, tears, adventure, beauty and joy – if we choose to find a daily rhythm of life and carry a load that suits the back that God gave us.

One day we may carry more and one day we may carry less – but that matters not. What has God entrusted to you today? Are you reveling in it? Carrying it joyfully? Bearing it with grace? Let go of any excess baggage and enjoy your journey – starting NOW.