God knows what we (really) need

A few days ago, Michael and I grabbed a quick weekday lunch (with our youngest in tow) at the local pizza place in our small town. As we were reflecting on our recent whirlwind trip to New York City, I came to a simple, but profound realization…

It is God’s grace to us (specifically Michael and I) that we live here, in Dickson, TN…and not in NYC, for the very reason of our shared and personal bent toward being driven and ambitious people.

This is what I mean: If we lived there, our lives would 100% be about work. All day, all the time. BUT because we live in this small, Southern town surrounded by family, we are compelled to think about others, and to be involved in the greater community, in a way that doesn’t directly serve any career or financial goals. Our life is rich in relationships and I never want to take that for granted.

We love our home and feel very blessed at where God has planted us, but from a three thousand foot view, it isn’t without some level of sacrifice. Every time we say “yes” to something in life, we are also saying “no” to something else. (This is an area that I still struggle with at times…why can’t we do all the things??) Which is exactly why we need the Lord to guide our steps and to be the objective leader that we can never be for our own lives. God’s ambition is to bring us into greater alignment with his will and a deeper unity with his Son, by the work of the Spirit. He has things to accomplish in our lives that could not be achieved if we always got our (limited, self-centered) way.

All of that to say this–

(to echo a favorite Rolling Stones song)

we can’t always get what we want, but the Lord has a way of giving us what we need. And his way is better, always.