A Young doctor and his wife were entertaining an elderly aunt. After-dinner coffee was served, whereupon the visitor said excitedly, “John, you know I cannot drink coffee! The nicotine in it keeps me awake all night.”
The nephew said, “ I assure you, my dear aunt, there is no nicotine in this coffee.” The aunt replied, “There is always nicotine in coffee, and it keeps me awake the whole night.” The host then said, “My dear aunt, I assure you upon my word of honor as a doctor, that there is no nicotine in this coffee.”
The old lady, who had the highest regard both for her nephew’s professional qualifications and for his personal integrity, was satisfied; and thereupon drank three large cups of coffee, enjoyed them immensely and slept like a top all night.
Naturally, there can be no nicotine in coffee; the old lady meant caffeine. Of course, one does not approve of the deception employed – deception is never legitimate – but the story illustrates perfectly the power of good and bad suggestion. The old lady first made a law of limitation for herself, and then repealed it without any trouble. Why not start today and repeal some of the many such laws you are sure to have made for yourself.
If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23).
Sometime we create false realities for ourselves that imprison and blind us to the true beauty and happiness God has planned for us. We establish priorities, make plans based on those priorities and then may feel like failures when those plans and priorities do not materialize or don’t turn out as planned.
This is when our faith must come into play. For if we truly believe in God’s promise, then we must hold firm to the conviction that whatever happens to us is for our best good. Perhaps that which we planned and prioritized started out good for us, but then needed to change or go away altogether in order for God’s plan to unfold. And if that change does not occur, then we would miss that to which God is directing us.
Often it is very challenging to let go of that which we planned and far from what we desire. Yet, if we are to receive the full measure of God’s grace, we must accept it. Even when those challenges seem insurmountable, unfair or cruel, they will yield God’s grace if met with with unwavering faith.
When we continue to believe and follow God’s will regardless of these challenges, then the truth of our circumstances will reveal themselves. Then, we will be blessed beyond measure and beyond our ability to do so by following our plans. Perhaps that plan had become a burden and a prison. Perhaps our priorities were separating us from our true obligations, joys and blessings.
One thing is certain. When we persevere in our faith, God will reveal to us a more beautiful and perfect garden than we could have ever planted ourselves. Then, whatever has been lost will be replaced and renewed many times over.
Persevering in faith,
Z gardener
Good Morning Garden 
Leave a comment