This is a Test

“Living Untethered: A Journey of Relinquishing Control to God” seemed like a great title for my blog. There have been many situations in which it has been relatively easy to do this. In the last few weeks, not so much. I have been tested just a little deeper. 

God finally sold our house and we were able to begin the adventure of seeking a suitable nest for my husband and me. I was going to add this part of our story to my post I called “At Just the Right Time” (which will be posted in the near future) but then I thought perhaps it deserved its own spotlight.

After a day of touring homes, we just knew that this one was the one God had been preparing for us. And maybe that was one reason our house did not sell until now. This house wasn’t even officially on the market when we viewed it. The sign was on the lawn, but no details and no pictures had yet been posted. After our tour, we put in an offer and the seller accepted it without a hiccough. We are so excited, it is difficult to wait for the possession date to roll around. The financing was approved way ahead of schedule, so we asked to move the inspection up as well. If all goes well, we could have the keys two weeks early.

Back story. A couple of months ago my sister and I decided we needed to go visit our mom out of province as soon as restrictions on travel were lifted. I had a sense that it would coincide with house sales (both selling and buying), but after praying about it we picked a date and made all the necessary arrangements. I said confidently to my sister, “Jesus knows stuff, he’ll work it out.”

Back to the inspection. The inspector whom we had chosen could not come out until Wednesday (which is 9 days earlier than originally scheduled but not early enough to close by the Friday before our departure – my desired timeline). Time was running short, I wanted to be able to close the deal before I left on my trip because it would enable us to have early possession. Maybe if I could find another inspector who could come earlier in the week, we could get it all done before I left. I was about to call one when Holy Spirit whispered, “I thought you said you trusted God with your house deal and with the timing of everything.”

Busted! I was trying to clamour for control again. If the deal isn’t going to close before I leave it will close when I get home. What is the big deal?!  But I want to move in now, the urge to begin nesting in my own home is powerful. In the long term (say 10-20 years) how much difference will one week make? But it makes a difference to me this month. It is so close I can almost taste it! If we can close before I leave, Tom could start on some of the projects we would like done before we move in. Back and forth I went like a football in the world record game for turnovers.

When I see it written in black and white on my screen it seems ludicrous. But I have been waiting for so long to have our house sold and to buy another one in our new community that I just want it done already. When I’ve waited and waited and finally it looks like the waiting is coming to an end, it is more difficult to continue waiting than it was when I couldn’t see the end. And then I remind myself that God has been so faithful, so good to me. Why would I think I could add to his goodness in any way? Why would I think I could somehow force his hand? Why would I think that rushing him would make the deal sweeter? If we can’t close this house deal before I head out, there must be some reason for it. Do I really want to try and manipulate things so that I will get my own way? Jesus knows stuff. I can fully trust him to work out details exquisitely so that I will know for sure it was he who did it. If I forced it, I would feel insecure that I had missed out on the best by insisting on having my way now.

I live by the words, “You have not because you ask not.” So, I ask because I have a 50-50 chance of getting a ‘yes’. If I get a ‘yes’ it will be very obvious that it is God making a way where there seems to be no way. If I get a ‘no’, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is because there is a way that is better than any I can contrive, and Jesus knows that way.

So Connie, be faithful to do what is yours to do, open up your hands, rest in God’s faithfulness, relax, watch him close the deal. Then you will be able to look back on this season with great joy and shalom.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, The Message)

“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.” (Isaiah 26:3–4, NLT)