No Matter What?

Psalm 34:1-3 - I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; the humble shall hear of it and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.

I have a friend who is going through a real time of trusting (maybe testing too). It's not a time of trouble or illness but truly trusting in Him. She believes He has shown her something she has had to do. Through scripture and time spent alone with Him she believes that He has guided her she is to just trust Him implicitly. There were things she so questioned about her ability to do and yet He has shown her He would carry her and she felt His peace (that passes all understanding) because it would not be about her but Him.

The thought came to me as I prayed for her this morning that even if all she is going through brings about none of the things she has been imagining, what if...what if it was just the Lord testing to see how well she would do without the results she desires or hopes for. Would she still praise Him? He has to be her only source in all this. He has to set the stages.

This is what He calls us all to do. No matter what. In the midst of a situation like hers or in a real trial, will we still praise Him if the outcome is not as we would have imagined? How many of us can honestly say we would trust in Him alone? And how often does what we think might happen actually happen unless we do it ourselves? And if that's the case how long does that work? Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭1)

Our imaginations!
I was reminded of this scripture:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out with joy, and be led out with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” (‭Isaiah‬ ‭55‬:‭8-9,11-13‬)

I'm not saying she needed a bit more from God faith-wise. There might be more to this experience that may be revealed later. I have my thoughts...but even those imaginations!

If we just do what He has directed us to do, providing we are sure we have heard from Him, He will accomplish what He pleases. If that's only to see how well we will respond to His voice alone with absolutely no thought to ourselves, then what He has done has been accomplished. If our response is Praise God no matter what, that's what He's looking for. With that He will bless us. How even I long for truly being blessed like this, not the grandiose things of the world, but God's special treasures.

Even if we have no clue what anything is all about, will we still glorify God? To some who demand the accolades here and now, this may seem absolutely ridiculous. To those who don't understand that God gives and takes away in His own will and timing, this will be difficult. To those who know and understand that His ways are always greater than ours, this seems quite logical. No matter what, will we glorify God? Will we glorify Him in loss as well as prosperity? It's all about Him.

Psalm 103:17-18,22 - But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant, and to those who remember His commandments to do them. Bless the LORD, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!