HIS Way

We had a great Bible study at Edgewood Monday, looking at Matthew 8:1-17. We talked about how amazing it would be to see such healings, to experience the power of Jesus like that. And how we would want to run around and tell everyone about what He had done in our lives.
It was so simple. The leprous man said, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." And Jesus said, "I am willing. Be clean." A statement of faith, and a healing granted.

But then we asked the question, What if He wasn't willing?
What if we asked Jesus to do something - to heal or deliver or take away our pain, and what if He knew the best thing for us was to endure our circumstance?
What if He knew we needed to live through the situation for the benefit of what we would learn?
What if facing the hardship would ultimately draw us closer to Him, or grow our faith, or shape our character in a way nothing else could?
What if HIS way was not our way, and what if He wasn't willing?

Would we, in the midst of our trial, be amazed by His power and wisdom? Would we want to run around and tell everyone about what He was doing in our lives? I suppose those responses are more likely to come with hind-sight. But I pray God will lead me more and more to trust Him in the midst of the pain, that I might praise Him for HIS way. Even when it is so far from mine.