never put a period where God has placed a comma....

so a couple of weeks ago i saw a sign in front of a church…you know the signs that churches have and they put little messages or notes on by the road…well anyway it said “never put a period where God has put a comma.” i like that. a lot. i have been wanting to write about it for a while but i haven’t yet because, well, i don’t know why. i have posted since then but i just didn’t know what to say i guess. the more i thought about it the more it makes so much sense to me. so often things happen in our lives that we don’t understand…in fact we probably don’t understand a lot of the stuff that happens to us or others around us. example – i don’t understand why my uncle jimmy is dying right now from cancer that has consumed his entire body when just a month ago the cancer was gone. example 2 – why does it seem that when we ask God for answers or guidance we don’t see it when we want? these are just a couple of things i have thought about lately i guess. but when i put a comma after each of those it makes a lot of sense. when i was talking with cristina bell on the phone last week she was reading me her sermon she was giving the next day. she talked about commas. she was saying…and i’m sorry if i mess your stuff up sis…that commas can change the meaning of anything. they can add a pause or emphasis. they can literally flip what a statement means. here’s an example. if someone says “give thanks” you would think they’re saying you should be appreciative and acknowledge what you have. but here…what does this mean to you…”give, thanks.” it’s the same…but different.

i think that a lot of times God puts commas in our life. i also feel that all too often we interpret those as periods. we shouldn’t. that’s not fair. sometimes things come up and God has to show us that and it doesn’t matter what we must sacrifice or what we must do in His name…we must do it. it’s His answer to us. it’s His guidance. i’m learning this…slowly but surely…

another thing i was thinking about just yesterday was that i have heard a lot of people talk about “road blocks” God has put in their lives. i disagree. i think they’re just detours or alternate routes. we can do what we want…it’s free will. but sometimes God puts up a detour…another route we should take because the one we’re on is damaged or broken but it’s up to us to choose what we do.  have you ever seen bruce almighty? think about when bruce is asking God for guidance and he’s driving his car but he doesn’t think he’s getting anything back. the truth is he’s not paying attention. he passes all of these road signs that tell him to “slow down”; “stop”; “use caution”. bruce doesn’t listen and he pays the consequences for it. we need to slow down, use caution, and sometimes even stop and listen to what God has to say to us. if He has a detour in our plans, maybe we should consider taking it. sometimes the way that makes sense is the worst way possible.

feel free to disagree…it’s just how i feel.

believe. live.

- david