It was a dark grey day, the first rain storm after a hot parched summer. As I sipped my warm cup of coffee, curled up under a blanket on my comfy sofa, I didn’t feel like going on that planned run on that seemingly dreary dismal day. I just felt off my game. The neighborhood was unusually quiet as the gentle rain turned into a pelting downpour, and the thought of running down the canyon trails alone, in the wet slippery mud, was a sharp contrast to that of my snuggly spot on the sofa. Bottom line, I just didn’t feel like going. I knew, at the time, I was struggling with my flesh. I knew that not doing what I was supposed to do based on my feelings was, in fact, a poor choice.

Yet, I did it anyways. I went with my feelings, and I skipped that rainy day run.  The desires of our flesh are strong and when our mind decides to partner with our feelings and it comes up with a great justification, we are in real trouble! Basing decisions off our feelings and emotion can have some pretty negative consequences. I admire those individuals who are able to hold steady day after day, doing the right things, steeped in obedience to the Lord.  The result being, a harvest of what is good and right. Bottom line, they make good choices. They seem to have the formula for success, striving in excellence, in spite of difficult or challenging life situations. They are steadfast, even when they don’t feel like it.

How do we overcome our emotions and the temptation of our own self? BUT GOD. Matthew 26:41 tells us, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Often, we are called to do remedial tasks on a day to day basis and get no affirmation or thanks from those we are serving. When our flesh gets lazy, if we can keep our obedience and reverence to the Lord, it can make unrewarding tasks much more doable. Colossians 3:23 states, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” There is comfort and strength in that verse. When doing a task that you are less than excited about, doing it unto the Lord with a good attitude can help you get through it. Just knowing we are seeking to please God, and not man, helps tremendously.

A common struggle is that of wanting affirmation and approval from our fellow man. People go to great lengths to please those around them. Often times, however, a person’s kind deeds or actions are taken for granted, or not noticed. When this happens, a sort of frustration and emptiness can set in, which can sway our attitude out of alignment with what the Lord has for us to do. What do we do with such feelings and thought patterns? It helps to put things in proper perspective. Who are we truly supposed to be pleasing? Not ourselves, or others, but… THE LORD! Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, “who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” When we seek to please the Lord first, above others, things have a way of turning out for the better. The Lord knows our heart and our desires. Matthew 6:33 reminds us, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” When we do what we are called to do, in obedience and reverence to God, there is a satisfaction in that. It’s like we skip right over the pain and disappointment that can come from trying to please man, and the Lord then showers us with His own affirmation and blessing. He provides great peace and contentment in such situations. Romans 8:6 tells us, “…to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

What about self-care? We each have certain things we should be doing to take good care of ourselves. Diet, exercise, down-time, sleep, balance and boundaries in our schedule, and much needed time with the Lord all need to be worked into our busy days. These are all incorporated into whatever daily tasks are required of you! It is easy to grab a donut, skip that run, stay up too late, over schedule, and rush through our quiet time with the Lord. But if we don’t make the effort of disciplining our own self-care, it will not only hurt us, but those whose lives we touch. In order to function properly, and well, obedience is necessary. If we can keep the Lord as our priority, seeking to please Him in all areas of our life, He will give us the direction and plan that best suites what we need to be doing to function properly. We are each different, so seeking direction from the Lord for His best for you is the secret formula for success! Being yoked with the Lord, daily, will give us the strength we need to do those things we should be doing, for ourselves, even when we don’t feel like it. And when you do those hard things throughout your day, and you are victorious, give praise to the Lord, for He is your Strength!

Look at this promise from the Lord found in Deuteronomy 30:9-10 “Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.” Wow! What a promise! This verse is so encouraging. Think about it… the Lord rejoices over us!

Snuggling on the sofa on a grey raining morning felt nice at the time, but a short time later I was reminded why I needed that run. Without that run, that release, I was too tightly wound. When my cup was tipped, things spilled out that shouldn’t have. Had I been diffused, I would not have had such an emotional reaction. It is important that we understand God’s best for us. May we not give into our feelings and our flesh. May we have the strength to do the right thing. Seek the Lord’s will for your best and ask for His strength to be obedient to Him. Whatever your struggle may be, you can and will overcome it through obedience in Christ. “… for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”  (1 John 4:4) You and God got this!

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The sun had set and dusk had given way to darkness. Waiting for the light to turn green, I glanced over at the SUV in the lane next to me. The gal driving was engaged in conversation, and I thought it strange that her SUV was slowly rolling backward. And so, I kept my gaze, until my neck could turn my head no more. All the while, I was thinking to myself… “why in the world is that lady backing up?” As I turned back to check the status of my stoplight, I was shocked. It was my car that had been quietly rolling forward. This is a simple silly illustration but, I have found in this life, things are not always as they seem at face value. Often times what we think we see or understand isn’t really what’s happening at all!

There is a whole heavenly realm that we can’t see, or hardly fathom. Yet, it is there… it is true. Revelation Chapter 4 tells us about the Lord and His throne in heaven. What a magnificent picture! As believers, we have the promise that one day we will be there! However, the Lord is also with us here and now. In the book of Zephaniah 3:17 we are reminded, “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”  Even though we cannot see into the spiritual realm, it is real. There is so much more going on around us than we can see. Proverbs 16:9 tells us, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Have you ever been running late, only to become even later because some crazy fluke thing happens to you, which delays you all the more? When such things happen, instead of getting frustrated (ya, right… you are thinking), thank the Lord, for this could very well be in your best interest. Perhaps that delay caused you to miss being in a harmful situation. “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. ” (Psalm 34:7) If you are a believer and follower of Christ, the Bible tells us in Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Yes, we have the Lord’s favor wherever we may go!

What about when we need to make a big decision. The situation presents itself and we are perhaps, befuddled. We try to figure things out logically, and think “…this or that would be perfect,” pray about it, and commit it to the Lord. But then, something completely different presents itself. We pray about it and have a conviction from the Holy Spirit, and just know it is from the Lord. It might be totally different from what we were originally thinking would be great. BUT GOD. His ways are ALWAYS THE BEST. He thinks of things we never would. He plans for everything in our lives. We are limited in what we can see and plan in our finite existence, but God is infinite in all wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and power. He sees our entire picture. And, when we step out in faith, trusting in Him, He will surprise us with EVEN MORE than we ever expected. Because… HIS WAYS ARE PERFECT. He knows our hearts desire even better than ourselves! So, trust Him… He is always working on our behalf, even when we can’t see His plans, sometimes, until they actually come into fruition.

How about a day you have scripted out on your calendar. You have your plans, your to-do list, your agenda. But then, everything changes in that given day and nothing you had wanted to do gets done. Don’t fret. (I know… I’m doing it again!) It is best to roll with it. God has other plans for you. He is doing something in your life and if you can rest in Him, you will see, He has your best in mind. Some of my most peaceful down times are when the Lord decides to change things up for me, canceling commitments and deadlines. Someone once said, “write your plans in pencil, but give God the eraser!” Walking closely with the Lord enables us to be more fluid in the way we function, which frees us up, making us more readily available to serve the Lord in our daily walk with Him. I am thankful we don’t have to navigate through this life all on our own! Matthew 28:20 tells us, “…And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Is there more to this life than what we can see? You betcha! Remember, the Lord is always working on our behalf, for our best. Trust in Him. Rest in Him. Believe and follow Him. And, “look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18) So, don’t stress. Don’t fret. Be content right where the Lord has you in this day and moment in time. Breathe. Embrace all that He is doing in your life. And if your day is a little off and you are thrown for a loop… praise the Lord.  God may be doing something unseen that is for your best good!

This article, God’s Unseen Best is protected by copyright. It may not be copied and pasted in its entirety to be published or redistributed elsewhere without permission. This includes pasting an entire story to Facebook or any other social media site. Thank you. 🙂