Be careful what you pray for

This week's video teaching for "A Woman's Heart; God's dwelling place" by Beth Moore was certainly a "thinker" for me. Indeed I say that every single week, I think because I know I will watch it twice, so the first time I hear what is said, and then I have a sometimes sleepless night to contemplate what I've heard before I head back to church and watch the video the second time...then it really starts to mean something to me.

There are several issues that I could ramble on about from this particular video, but I'll just stick to one for now.

I do not have my workbook in front of me right now, I'm at work, and I'll just admit this is a great time for me to get computer stuff done b/c it looks like I'm "working" if I'm typing feverishly on the keyboard. Anyway, here is the gist of it. In Exodus 33 Moses asks God to show him His glory, and God answers him by saying I will show you my goodness. Okay, like I said I don't have my workbook with me, and I'm no Beth Moore in the transliteration department, but in the original Hebrew language the words used in that passage, God's goodness, and His glory are interchangeable.

In our group we talked about things we hear often from Christians, we say things like; "be careful what you pray for" or "don't pray to God for patience because He'll make you go thru something difficult to increase your patience". Is it risky to ask God to show us His glory? As believers we really shouldn't be saying things like this. What we are saying is... well we want to see your glory God but on our terms and we don't want to have anything bad happen to us, and don't make us suffer but yeah, show us your glory k?

Now why would we do that? My way of doing things can never compare to what God can do....those things we say.....are not exactly huge statements of faith are they?

So maybe I've missed the mark here, but what if we as Christians accepted that God's glory is interchangeable for goodness. What I'm saying is, I've seen situations that bring glory to God that I would not have characterized as God's "goodness". One harsh example is when a child dies, if his parents believe that the child is in heaven, and they keep their faith in God, that brings glory to God...but would we ever say the death of a child was an example of God's goodness?!

Or struggles in my own life, I would never have characterized them as God's goodness, not in a million years, but in the end, realizing my sins, confessing them and now serving God brings Him glory...so what I'm saying is I'm feeling this attitude adjustment coming on for me. Some of the worst times in my life where some of the best examples of God's goodness and glory.

I don't think I'm articulating this thought very well, but maybe some of you will relate to what I'm trying to say. All I know for me, is that something in my heart has changed this week. I see things in my own life and in the world at large a little differently today than I did yesterday. I love when God just flips a switch for me. A whole lot of heart changing comes slowly and sometimes it's a light bulb, you all know I'm not a terribly patient person, so I praise God today for the light bulb version this time.