He waited with patience so that he could make known his rich glory to the people who receive his mercy. He has prepared these people to have his glory. (Romans 9:23)

Ponder It.

• How often do you rearrange furniture?
• What are three words to describe your organization style?
• What is God prompting you to move in or out of your life right now?

Receive It. God gives us everything we need to experience the joy he intends for us, but we must be willing to rearrange our lives for him. When we prepare to host a slumber party or lots of company, we often rearrange furniture. We move aside the couch and chairs to maximize floor space for sleeping bags or video games. We set up folding or picnic tables to accommodate extra people. We rearrange the food in the refrigerator to store the additional goodies we’ve prepared or others are bringing.

In our daily lives, we need to move aside some things in preparation for what’s coming. We need to prepare. God isn’t silent about the preparation he intends for us to make. The issue isn’t lack of instruction—even though we often make that rationalization—but lack of attention and trust. We want to know the “why” of what we’re doing when God is giving us clear instruction of the “what.” He wants us to be obedient. He doesn’t need us to be all-knowing; he has that role covered. When we’re focused on the “why” instead of the “what,” we’re not focused on the right insight, so we think we’re missing out. Because our eyes aren’t honed on the proper focus, we think God isn’t giving us what we want, let alone what we need. We’re mistaken. God never leaves us uninstructed.

We might not understand why God is telling us to rid our lives of something, plant seeds of something new in our lives, or reprioritize responsibilities and relationships, but we don’t have to know the “why.” God wants us to respond in obedience. And really, isn’t trusting God by responding in obedience enough of a “why”?

Live It. Get rid of something today. Give it away. Move something today. Get out of your comfort zone. Plant a seed today. Meet someone new. Invest in a relationship. Apply for a new job. Explore an unfamiliar area of Scripture. Set aside your plans for God’s.