Have you ever wondered why you are at the place and position you are in your life? The answer is that God has sovereignly placed you where you are today. You also had choices along the way to follow or disobey God's leading. God's plan will be accomplished with or without us, but it is amazing to watch God use insignificant weak, fearful human beings in awesome ways when they trust in His strength and guidance.
In my church we are currently studying the book of Easter in the Old Testament of the Bible. God used Esther in this way. She was really a nobody who was elevated to queen. God later used her to save His Old Testament people, the Jews, from annihilation. When she was afraid to approach the king to accomplish this, her cousin, Mordecai said to her, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise form another place." Mordecai goes on to say, "And who knows but that you have come to royal position for a time such as this."
As I look back on my life I am amazed how God has placed me in various roles and situations for a certain time for His purposes. I was very unqualified to be my first husband's caregiver for four and a half years. It was painful to see him decline step by step and eventually die. Yet God gave me the strength to do this, and I drew closer to Him in the process. I was His chosen instrument for that time. It was difficult navigating the role of widow for over eight years as well, but God also gave me strength, comfort, and joy during that time as well. My love for Him further grew by leaps and bounds during that time.
Many unexpected God moments came during those years. After my first husband's death I started a blog to encourage caregivers. I also wrote my book, Dear Caregiver Reflections for Family Caregivers for the same reason. During those years I had three interviews for various publications. In a million years I would not have guessed this would happen in my life and that God would use me this way. Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to to His power that is at work within us." God had placed me in a certain time and place for a time such as that. He delights to use insignificant weak human beings, so He can better show His power and strength.
A little over two years ago I remarried. (If you have not already read it, you can read my post of last week about that by clicking on the link here: https://christiancaregiving.blogspot.com/2021/07/second-year-anniversary.html ) The story of how that came about is also a remarkable story of God's sovereign working in my life. Being married especially in a second marriage has put me in an entirely different place again from my life as a single widow. But who knows but that I have not come to this position "for such a time as this?" I am absolutely convinced that I am where God wants me to be now in my life.
God's timing in my second marriage also was perfect. I had to have been married to Wayne first and Bob had to have been married to Gloria first. That part of our lives with the wonderful moments and the heartbreaking moments of watching our loved ones decline and die made us the people we are today. Also the children and grandchildren which came from those first marriages were part of God's perfect timing. We made the right choices then, but after the tragedies of the last years we made the right choices now. God lead us to those choices in His perfect timing.
Life on this earth is never a life of ease for a child of God. There may even be adverse or difficult consequences in living for Him in the place where He has placed us. Yet in His strength we can find courage for the tasks He has given us, and we can find joy in being used by Him.
Where are you in your life, dear reader? God had placed you in the place you are now for "such an time as this." Will you follow His lead and be used of Him? Will you rest in His strength and guidance, and will you praise Him along the way through the difficult and wonderful moments?
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