URC Weekly 10/16/2011: Have God Do It



Hi Everyone,

Just leave it up to God! Don’t try to do it yourself, but have God do it for you!

Has someone ever told you that before? If you have been in the church for more than a year, than I’m sure that someone has advised you this way before. If you have not, then someone will advise you this way soon enough.

I too, were given this advice multiples of times. While I believe that such advice is godly, I have always wandered, how? How do have God do something for me instead of me doing it? Does God bring his hand down and scratch my back when it itches? Does God study for me? Would God put food on my table if I didn’t work? What does it mean ‘to leave something for God to do?’

Well, I’m not sure what the answer is at this point. In fact, I may never figure it out. But I can share the following with you to shed a light on this issue of “having God do it instead of me.”

I went through an incident a few days ago in which I felt personally attacked (I’m choosing not to reveal the details at this time). I was accused of something, and although it was true, the accusation was really out of the scope for the situation. I felt like I was questioned of not only my ability as a pastor, but of my character.
I was pissed off. I wanted to shoot right back at that person, but didn’t receive an opportunity to do so. I was angry because I walked away from the confrontation looking like the weak person. I was especially made because I could have told him off justifiably. I was so frustrated and mad that I sought counseling from a fellow pastor. He told me, “Don’t try to overcome this yourself. Have God overcome it for you.” He then prayed for me and suggested that I spend some time in prayer alone, telling God why I’m mad and asking him to let me forgive that person.

Telling God why I’m mad and asking him to let me forgive that person. I think that is the closest to the answer to the question of “How do I let God do it for me?” Often we do not think that we can pray in expressing our anger/frustration/pain. My sisters and my brothers, God is big enough to take our anger. God is big enough to take our frustration. God is big enough to take our pains.

As soon as I began praying I just balled out. I wasn’t emotionally sad, but my soul was crying out because I couldn’t forgive that person. I just cried, yelled, screamed, all while hitting my chest and the ground repeatedly (I was really pissed!) for about half an hour. Then I looked at the cross in front of me (I prayed in our church’s main sanctuary). Then I had this immediate understanding that Jesus lived a life of humility, and by expressing my anger to God, not to that person, I was also living similarly.

People of God at Union, is something frustrating you? Making you upset? Pissed off? Yell it out to God. Go crazy! Go to your room and just scream it out. Don’t think about the doubt of “Is God really listening?” I can assure you that God is listening. Don’t try to do it yourself. Ask God to do it for you.

- Community Group: 10/21 (Fri) @ EM Room,7:30pm, we’ll read Esther 4 together; dinner is provided
- Thank you Diana for serving the Youth Group
- Please keep praying for your Monthly Prayer Requests of the previous months
- Holy Winning Day: 10/28 (Fri) @ Elementary Room, sign-up this Sunday
- Youth Revival: 10/29 (Sat) @ English Sanctuary, see pastor Sam for details
- Weddings: 11/5 (Sat) Paul and Sooyeon, 11/12 (Sat) Hyonroh and Hannah, 12/3 (Sat) James and Elise; congratulations!