I woke up with a song from childhood looping in my mind: “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad…”
The irony? I did not feel like rejoicing.
Lately, the building blocks of my life are being moved around as wonderful, exciting, and hard things are happening at the same time. Our daughter is getting married and I love my son-in-law-to-be—and they are moving several states away. My parents are thriving—and they, too, are moving several hours away. Seminary is thrilling—and challenging. Responsibilities are changing at work, there’s a family conflict I can’t fix, and [fill in your own blank here].
So I turned to Psalm 118:24, the source of that catchy tune, to see what God might be telling me. Right before Psalm 118 says to rejoice, it also says, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22–23, NIV).
To be honest, I reject some of the ways my life is being reshaped. I want to be the “builder” of my life, and I like being in charge of my own plans.
Oh, I know the Bible says God has perfectly good plans for me—but it also says his ways are not my ways. I happen to like my ways, thank you very much, and I spend a lot of time and effort making my careful plans. My plans are safe and easy, and I’m quite committed to them.
Now, you don’t need me to tell you that life doesn’t always go according to plan.
Can I Borrow a Cup of Hope?
page 11-12
But by resisting these changes, I am rejecting the very stones God is using to build something beyond my wildest dreams. When I want a tidy plan, he’s laying a better foundation.
Here are three practices from Psalm 118:1 that I’m choosing in this roller-coaster season:
1) Gratitude for the past
“Give thanks to the Lord…” I’m listing specific mercies from the last season to ground myself in gratitude for what God has already done instead of angsting over what he may currently be doing. Instead of what I seem to be losing, I’m focusing on what he’s already given me. Salvation tops the list, followed by life’s many blessings.
2) Peace in the present
“…for he is good…” I can’t live three weeks at a time. I’m asking for grace to stay inside this day’s assignment—one conversation to redeem, one task to finish, one moment to breathe. I’m abiding with God one day at a time instead of peering into the scary unknown, knowing that his goodness pervades every moment.
3) Trust for the future
“… his love endures forever.” With God’s love in Christ as the cornerstone, I can rest easy in this uncertain stage. My job isn’t to micromanage the construction or redo his renovations; it’s just to trust his design. The result will be marvelous, even though it may initially look like a big mess. Each building block will become part of our story for his glory.
This is still the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice, not because I love the unknown, but because I trust the Cornerstone.
Engage
- Which “stone” are you resisting right now? Name it.
- Write three lines: one gratitude for yesterday, one peace-practice for today, one trust-statement for tomorrow.
- If you’re willing, share one in the comments so we can build each other up.
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