"What's God Gonna Do, Bring It To The Door?"

This particular story that I'm about to tell you, took place when I was a young pastor's wife! (Did I say I was young?) Lol. I'm about to tell on myself and, in this case, my attitude was more than a bit embarrassing! But, I promised the Lord, if he ever brought this story to mind that I would tell it, so here goes! God is Faithful, even when we aren't!

Have you ever, knowingly, acted in a wrong way? I think we all have had a bad attitude, at some point in time, in our lives! Maybe, through miserable thinking, you ended up with a miserable attitude; or maybe, through angry thoughts you found yourself moving through your day angry at everything and everybody! Well, Christians aren't exempt from wrong choices, though, everyone expects us to be. We all know a wrong attitude when we see one! Well, I struggle just like you do with the day to day trials in life and I would like to think that I'm growing stronger in my faith, but I have, in no means, arrived! God's still working on me!

We had just moved to SC to start a church; God had, graciously, opened up a meeting place for us, a recreation center in a large subdivision. We found a home, close by, to rent and were excited about the new adventure! Home missions, in our move, couldn't promise us a salary, but did commit to continue to pay our medical insurance, so we knew we'd get settled and need to get jobs right away.

Now, you have to know that my husband's father is, also, a pastor. Ed had been involved in church planting for years; Ed had, also, been a director over the churches in one of the districts and we respected his experience and wisdom. As Jim's parents visited us, they were excited to see the surrounding area and we were anxious for any insight that they might have for us.

Some of Ed's advice, though, wasn't quite what I expected. Ed had always had a strong work ethic and had raised Jim, giving him opportunities to learn the value of work. When Jim was a boy, his dad bought him a lawn mower; Jim's job was to work all summer cutting grass and pay his dad back for the mower. (Any money beyond that was Jim's to keep) One spring, Jim's dad paid a farmer to till some ground and plant corn; Jim's job was to care for it, harvest it and sell it.

I remember the discussion, as if it were yesterday, as we all stood at the end of the driveway of our, newly, rented home; Jim and I were talking about the prospects for finding work. His dad's response, wasn't what either of us expected. Jim's dad said, "Well, Jim, this is the Lord's work and you need to focus on planting the church and let God supply for your needs!" That sent both of our minds reeling! The rent for the house was $550, which may not seem like much today, but it was alot then! I said, "Oh, I can get a job and Jim can focus on planting the church!" His dad's response, again, was shocking: "No, you are his helpmate, you need to focus on planting the church with him and let God meet your needs!" (I'm sorry, but nothing about that computed for me!) "How are we suppose to pay the bills?" There's $550 rent, a car payment $135, electric, sewer, food, etc.) I couldn't believe what I knew about Jim's dad and his work ethic, that he'd be saying this??? Yet, I, highly, respected him and we chose to follow his advice! He only repeated, "You focus on God's work and God will provide for your needs!"

Well, so we stepped out "in faith" to plant God's church, trusting Him to provide. (Though, I don't think you could call my experience "faith" it was more like alot of worry!) So, this particular day, we get up and Jim opens the refrigerator and then the freezer and laughs and says, "Well, this should be exciting, God's gonna have to provide soon because there's not much in here and we've got three bills due today!" (Now, that's faith!) But that bit of information was enough to send me into despair! I liked bills paid ahead! Three bills "due today" and no money was my idea of late and totally unnerving!
I wasn't trusting God and, by this point, had made myself very weary with worry. (My attitude was one of anger) "Was this the way God took care of his pastors and wives?"Lol. (Terrible attitude!!!!)

Jim coaxed me into riding along with him to the post office; he was, disgustingly, happy and even singing, which was really quite annoying to me in my frame of mind! "Who knows," he said, "maybe, God will send us some money in the mail!" Well, there was nothing in the mail and, of course, I was all the more bothered! Jim said, "Sheryl, God can provide for us in many ways, He doesn't have to send it through the mail, trust Him! Don't put God in a box!" Well, I'm sorry to say, but my response wasn't very respectful: "What's God gonna do, bring it to the door?" (How's that for bitterness?) Jim was still unwavering in his faith, but I had long ago passed doubt and had moved on to sulking and self pity! Jim had chosen faith and was enjoying a great day! I had chosen fear and worry and was, absolutely, miserable! I was "tired of trusting God day to day"! Lol. (Trusting doesn't make us weary and tired; fear, doubt and worry do!)

So, when we got home I laid down on the bed to sulk and soon there was a knock at the door. It was my dad; they'd driven to the post office to get their mail and there was an envelope addressed to us, so they had dropped it by. They had another appointment to meet, so they didn't come in; which, with my attitude, was, probably, a good thing! Jim opened the envelope and there was a check, enough to pay one of the bills! Jim was so excited and grateful and brought it in to show me, but do you think in my frame of mind I was thankful? (Why there were still two more bills due TODAY and the need for groceries!) Lol. Don't we just make ourselves miserable and others too, with our stewing?

I, finally, decided to go for a walk "to try and blow the stink off". I knew I had a bad attitude and we, certainly, would have required our daughter "to change her attitude" if it had been her! If she heard it once, she heard it a 1000 times, "change your attitude"! I returned from the walk in a little better spirits, till I heard that we were getting company. You've heard misery loves company? Well, only when others join in your misery!

The elders from the, nearby, Anderson church called and they were going to be in town and wanted to come by and encourage us in our "step of faith" in following God. I was grateful for their caring, but "did it have to be today"? Nope, the stinking thinking was still in tack! (Nothing blown away here)
The men arrived with such sweet spirits and such encouraging words and as they made ready to leave they said, "Well, we have a few things in the car for you!" Of course, Jim asked, "Do you need any help?" "Yes, we could use a hand," they replied. So, I piped in, "Do you need MY help?" "Well, you could hold the door open." Now, you need to know, that My position of holding the door open was a God appointment; He had placed me there for a reason . . . a lesson to never be forgotten was about to be learned! I held the door open, while 13 BIG boxes of food crossed the threshold . . . I know because God counted and with every single one, God said, "Sheryl, I brought it to the door! Sheryl, I brought it to the door! Sheryl, I brought it to the door! Sheryl, I brought it to the door! (I felt like Peter when the cock crowed!) As the elders, so lovingly, presented their gifts of love, I was filled with grief and shame for my attitude and anger. As they hugged us to leave, "Oh, here, we took up and offering," as they handed Jim an envelope. A gracious and loving God, had called on some dear, sweet people to give! My eyes filled with tears, as Jim opened the envelope and there was a check to pay the other two bills. Jim had been rejoicing ALL day and was praising the Lord! I had been, absolutely, miserable and now was filled with grief and shame for my doubting the Lord's Faithfulness! I asked God's forgiveness and it was immediate, I was rejoicing too in a God of grace! I was undeserving of God's Faithfulness, but what I want you to notice about this story, which makes it so memorable to me is that God acted in Faithfulness and love, when I was not trusting and was very undeserving of his unmerited favor! I will never forget it! God provides for his children, it's a promise HE keeps! God's promise to provide or His Faithfulness is not contingent on our behavior! He keeps His promises! And I couldn't help but notice, that He responded, very specifically, to my disrespectful comment, "What's He gonna do, bring it to the door?" God heard me and bothered to show me that He did! (God brought us two checks and thirteen BIG boxes of food and He brought it ALL to the door! I promised God that day, to never forget the lesson learned and to tell this story, whenever He brought it to mind. It's a spiritual marker for me, an unforgotten lesson of His amazing love, that I, quickly, call to memory when the storms of doubt are brewing!

Satan lies you know? God IS our Provider and He can bring it to the door! May God bless you in your faith journey with Him and may you not waver, as I did that day, but believe! He is trustworthy! Like Jim, choose to assume a position of faith and joy and watch God keep His promise! Don't choose the misery of fear and doubt! God takes care of His children! Believe!