Can we get out of our own way?

You know.. I think.. A lot.  I mean I am not one of those people who have a task in front of them and focus solely upon it.  I am more about oh hey.. that got my attention.. I'll think about it.. and so needless to say.. in my prayer life I am quite often distracted.  I will start talking to God and begin with some thanksgiving and maybe some heavy concerns and soon enough I ( I like to imagine it's WE ) begin laughing.  Crying is sometimes an attribute, but usually during prayer I will need a good hour just to make sure I have covered all the bases.  I was thinking today about how sometimes my prayers actually get answered visibly and yet I forgot that I had even prayed about it.  What's more insane is that once God does deliver some blessing in my life I am just so excited ( or A.D.D. ) that I just start worrying or planning or doing the next thing that catches my attention and soon I forget about the answered prayer.  At some point I may even wish that it would change.  Let me use work for example.  God opened a door after me losing a job that was definitly not suited to me in any way. He blessed me with a temporary position which turned into a permanent job and here I am still.  It is helping young and older adults through college.  I started out LOVING it.  Thinking.. Oh God you sure knew what you were doing!!  So then of course as I grow more spiritually ( well .. let's just say I start wanting to do more for God ) I am like.. alright God .. do your work again.. get me away from all these people who are so concerned with obtaining worldly success and building their own kingdoms.. God put me closer to people that know you and love you and where I can be of use.  :)  Well.. when no doors are being opened ( or closed for that matter ) I start praying again.. Hey God.. so you wanna do something cuz I know you could totally use me.. I'm ready! I'm excited and filled with passion for you Jesus!! ...  Nothing.  So lately at work I find myself..well..thinking (rather than working ) and I began to remember that I was also praying things like.. search my heart Lord and change me to immulate Christ.  Requests were being made simultaneously to help me grow and bring people into my life that will love me and counsel me and God .. ( this is a good one ) please give me patience .. and steadfastness along with obedience and discipline.  LOL what was I thinking.. or was this a rare occassion when I wasn't ?  Well here come the people.  Amazing people.. Godly women and even my husband's wisdom starts to be shared.  I start hearing everywhere I go.. Well honey, God can use you anywhere.  God might be needing you to grow right where you are.  We don't have the same timeline that HE does.  And then my husbands words " Don't you think that it would be pleasing to God if you did your best in all that you do? Including work and being responsible.  I don't mean to be harsh but maybe it's His way of saying it's time to grow up. "  HAHAHA.. alright.  Well when John said that I really listened.. I didn't get mad ( for long anyway ) and I started praying that God would continue His work in me.  For one thing.. I am serious about becoming more like Christ and I am willing to be refined.  I start meeting with a spiritual mentor, having lunch and other functions with Godly women, reading more scripture and trying to find my prayer niche.  So as it occured to me last night at the "Girl's Night" .. Hey.. sometimes it takes a little while to get refined ( patience ) and maybe I just need to trust God ( steadfastness ) and continue in His word and seek Him through these people He is putting all around me ( discipline and obedience) and continue to pray for His will to be done in my life.  Ahhhh ( deep breath out ) so when He orchestrated this whole job thing for me He actually did that because that was part of the plan.. ding ding ding.. and He is trying to finish the work He started in me but maybe I am getting in the way!  I get so impatient that if something doesn't happen as soon as I need it too ( or before I remember why it started in the first place ) then I will just make another rash decision and the whole process takes entirely too much time.  I am going to try and stay out of my own way and really listen for God.  Or as Daphne's little girl says.. Stop! S is for Stop (  :) so cute ), T is for Think about what the bible says, O is for Obey and P is for Pray ( Without Ceasing). I want to hear Him.  I want to obey and honor Him.  I have already spent too much time away and now is the time to draw near.  I am so thankful for this job.  I have met many people and hope to love them just as Christ has loved me.  Thank you God.  Thanks for always knowing what the heck is going on.. cuz you know I am quite easily distracted!

Colossians 3:23-24  Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.