“It is not for you to decide what happens here.” These were words spoken by an Iraqi citizen in the film Green Zone.
Do “we” America have the right to decide what happens?
How deeply this penetrated my heart, because like in this movie, as America I am not sure it is our job or our “right” to decide how to direct people’s lives…and so it is in my relationships…their choices, their decisions, their salvation…it is not for me to decide for them, as much as I want to, especially where sin is involved…
Why do I often feel the need to tell or say anything at all…maybe it is just simply “being” the work God has sent me to do…
In John 6:29 Jesus says, “This is the work, service, that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent, that you cleave to, trust, rely on, and have faith in His Messenger.”
Love, grace, mercy…
Even as much as it pains my heart and grieves my spirit, it is still not for me to decide. That decision is up to and by the Lord…and Him alone.
And in this place of waiting, I have learned to restfully wait before Him…experiencing more of His grace through not being able to “decide” for them…I see Jesus’ grace , mercy, patience extended to me…I recognize the way those around me resonated His heart rather than judge and decide for me when my spirit was not ready.
So in the waiting, I have been able to freely let others “be,” and in doing so, being overwhelmed by yet more abundant grace in my life…because eventually, in God’s time, I too made the decision for myself, because it was for me to decide…and so I will pray for my friends, those that I care so deeply for it hurts, that they too would decide.
In Berlin, everything is keep an open mind…and so I must keep an open mind about how God’s Spirit works…wants to work, probably creatively…maybe it is in speaking truth, maybe it is in extending grace, maybe it is interceding silently…
God knows what He is doing.
