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                     I want Chocolate!                            

By Brenda Walton

      “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. . .” ( Psalm 127:1).  The Lord put this scripture on my heart early this morning. Why can’t I grasp the truth that God’s way is the best way for me? Why do I want to choose the contractor, be in charge of all the inside and outside details and then decorate it with my ideas. I know I am a human being with opinions, goals and desires; but the more I seek to know Christ, the more I begin to understand that the Spirit must take over the flesh as I choose to trust God to build the house as He sees fit. I can choose to have faith in Him for the challenges at hand and learn to be FLEXIBLE.

      Pride takes away our moldability.  Is that a word?  It should be. All of my efforts are futile without Christ in the center. God is constantly molding my attitudes.  When disappointments come because I don’t get my way, I can trust that God is with me and has a plan for my good.  I can trust Him to build the house according to His specifications. He is the Master Architect.

      He brought an old memory to mind, and we had a good laugh together. “ You had to be there” to enjoy the silliness of the moment, but I will try to describe it. I was delivering children to Summer Camp some years ago, and we stopped at a fast food restaurant to stretch our legs and get a snack.  One of my dear children ordered a chocolate ice cream cone, to which the cashier replied,

“ We only have strawberry and vanilla.”

My persistent One said with great determination,

“I want chocolate.”

“ We only have strawberry and vanilla.”

“I want chocolate.”

“We only have strawberry and vanilla.”

“I want chocolate.”

“We only have strawberry and vanilla.”

“ I want chocolate.”

You get the picture.  This went on for several minutes until I said with a motherly emphatic tone,

“THEY DON'T HAVE CHOCOLATE!  Make another choice.”

        Make another choice. Do you ever have to make another choice?  Sometimes you want what you want, but in reality you must choose something else.  Sometimes we must trust what we cannot see and what we do not understand.  Our flesh is screaming, “ I want chocolate!” but God patiently and lovingly says we are having something else.  We have situations and circumstances in our lives that we really do not want, but we must “trust and adjust.” Elisabeth Elliot describes suffering as having something you do not want and wanting something you do not have. The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience through suffering.

       God uses suffering to grow us up in Him.

        “ I want chocolate!  I personally want a mother who is healthy and whole.” In reality, my mother is dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease, and I have to make another choice: a choice to trust God as I love and walk with Mom through this challenging journey. God sees the whole picture when I do not. His ways are higher than our ways. His love for Mom has never failed or waivered. He created her and He cares completely for her. Jesus is her Savior, and one day she will have a new body and be whole.  I still want chocolate now, and I will continue to pray for healing and wholeness, but I am considering the strawberry and vanilla. It’s good to taste the new things that God offers us. Sometimes we miss out on something good because we are too busy focusing on our own way as the only way. I have learned much about God’s unfailing love through this journey.  He is building compassion and patience.  I have experienced God’s Presence and Peace in the “new normal.”  (Are any of us really normal?)  We change but He does not.  He knows about the confusion, though He is not the author of it.  He listens to our prayers. He cares.  He gives strength day by day and teaches us to be flexible as we learn to rely on His desires and plans.  He is Trustworthy. I don’t have answers but I have Him, and He is the Truth, the Life, the Way.

        God says in Luke 8 that those who hear the Word and keep the word in obedience will

bring forth fruit with patience. God is teaching me that the obedience is my choice, but the fruit is God’s choice.  The Bible says of God, “He does what He pleases,” and we can trust what He does even when we cannot understand or make sense of it. That is what true trust is, right?

        When your flesh is screaming for chocolate, remember the One who created you may have other plans – plans to prosper you and give you hope. When we have no answers, God Himself is enough. It is fine to desire chocolate ice cream. Just be open to trying strawberry and vanilla if God provides the opportunity.  God offers gifts to us each day if we are open to His Presence and willing to have some attitude adjustments along the way coupled with a teachable spirit. God is Good all the time.  All the time God is Good. Make a choice to believe it.

        I’ll close with one of my favorite poems by Grant Tuller.  This has given me great comfort.

“ My Life is But a Weaving”

My life is but a weaving between my God and me;

I do not choose the colors.  He works steadily.

Often He chooses sorrow and I in foolish pride,

Forget He sees the upper and I - the underside.

Not til the loom is silent and the shuttle ceases to fly;

Will God unfold the pattern and explain the reason why;

The dark threads are as needful in the Weaver’s skillful hand,

As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.

Enjoy the journey.  God is with us.

For questions or comments you may email the pastor at timbev2@yahoo.com or the webmaster at hffinc@i-c.net