Musical Chairs and Providence...

Wondering about the relation, I guess? Well, looking at where I'm at right now, both in reality and spiritually, I thought of these terms. Why? Well, as a Christian, it's very easy to look at others in the local church and compare sufferings and blessings.

In our small group at church, within the last two years, all the young couples in our group have been blessed with children, while we have not recieved that blessing yet. In addition, my unemployment adds to this feeling of void. So, in having our group study this evening, we began studying the Beatitudes.

The study began with what does it mean to be poor, and in another way, being poor in spirit. My wife and I, of late, have known of the former quite well, and as a result, experienced (through the grace of the Father), the latter as well. A few weeks ago, my pastor likened the tests that we experience in this life to being stretched like a rubber band, ever so slowly so that it does not break. The experiences over the last few months have definitely stretched us, and had the effect of emptying us of reliance on anything that we might be able to do, because as we have seen, there is simply nothing that we can do, on our own effort.

So how does this relate to the title of this post? The importance of holding to the sovereignty of God during this time cannot be overstated. My belief in His providence over all events, even in my own life, is an assurance that sustains me, and that is sustained by the grace of God through His Spirit. Otherwise, I would feel that God's blessings are simply handed out during a game of spiritual musical chairs--on the days or during the times of my life where I am faithful to God and obedient to His commands (finding the chair before the music stops), He will bless me. However, if I believed this way, I would view this time as a time of despair and wonder what I have not done to please God (or what I have done to have deserved this punishment).

In the comparison, it is easy to see what we lack and think that others do not lack--but as I ponder it, I wonder if it is not that God ordains us to want (lack) for different things. This would indeed foster the need for community in the church, and the interdependence that we are to have among brothers and sisters in Christ. If we all lacked the same things, we would commiserate rather than try to lift one another up. (However, the manner in which encouragement takes form can seem trite to those who receive it, but this is another post).

As it stands, the study our small group did does make me feel quite raw (and I would be wrong in saying that it does not affect me), as from my human standpoint, it does not seem that my wife and I can go much further in this time of lacking, but I know that God will sustain in only a way that He can see--and I must trust that He knows the end of it, and that He will get the glory for it.