Doing Things God's Way

Do you believe God’s work - done in God’s way - will never lack God’s support? Reading in Proverbs and devotion books stirred this story on pleasing God.

“When a man is trying to please God, God makes even his worst enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7

Encountering times when people move against us when we think we are right can be difficult. An old saying eases aggravation when peace seems hard pressed to happen. “When you are right, time is on your side.” How do we handle unfair treatment at work or play (recreational events)? Knowing life is not always fair, but God works things out in His own beautiful way gives peace amidst problems.

Three years ago, someone entered Tim’s Gift with a puzzling question, “Why are you putting up a fence in the middle of the driveway”? My surprised gasp was a dead give a way that the fence was not my idea. When a dear friend suggested I do something to stop it because it wasn’t right, a peace settled inside with words that had to be sent by sweet Jesus, “ No, we’re not going to be ugly about this because God can make something beautiful from it.”

Her look told me she thought I was crazy, but a divine nudge kept me focused on what God could do to bring beauty to the area and peace to my heart. A phone call to Anthony, a former student and hard working man, and the young woman who asked why I put up a fence, put God’s plans in place. The following Saturday, a cold January day, the three of us and Anthony’s sweet son, met early to transform the unsightly area into something beautiful. Ten hours later and eight trips to Lowes, the four of us stood in awe of what He had done through our efforts to make a walkway and garden area to greet people coming to Tim’s Gift. After cleaning up, praying, and high fiving...each of us headed to our homes with satisfied minds and tired bodies. God had worked a miracle from a mess and given us the joy of doing what was right. Retaliating or having a bitter attitude can make bad situations go south and please Satan. We chose to stay quiet, seek God’s guidance, and give our best efforts and attitudes to make something beautiful that would be pleasing to Him and people whom He would send to Tim’s Gift. And He did!

Time was on our side and God worked things out in His own beautiful way.

Proverbs 16 : 2-5 gives insight on being right and committing things to God.

“We can always ‘prove’ that we are right, but is the Lord convinced? Commit your work to the Lord, then it will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes.”

Verses from Proverbs 15 can help us ‘walk through tough times’ when it would be easy to stir up anger and agitate people over things that are not worth it. Hopefully, these bits of wisdom will help you as they have helped me when dealing with difficult situations over and over again and again. When we’re grounded in His Word and way, it’s much easier to stay calm and ‘Give it to HIM’!

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but harsh words cause quarrels. Gentle words cause life and health; griping brings discouragement. A happy face means a glad heart; a sad face means a breaking heart. When a man is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; When he is cheerful, everything seems RIGHT’! Proverbs 15: 1, 4, 13, 15

Ella Wilcox wrote this simple yet significant song that seems right to end this story.“Laugh and the world laughs with you, Week and you weep alone For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth. But has trouble enough of its own.” May we stay true to Jesus, even though we might suffer because of it. His plan will finally end in good...and we will be happy here for now and in Heaven forever and ever!