Upon a Sunny Day

Establish the work of our hands.

Make our work amount to something.  Let us be free to do what we desire to do.  Let us do something good.  Make us resourceful and established.  Let our good ideas come to be.  May we enjoy our work and do what we’re gifted to do.  Bless our work.  Let us get paid to do what we like doing.

Psalm 90:17

Despite the best  laid plans.  Despite our commitment and offering.  Despite willingness and time. Despite the opportunities to do something more lucrative.  Giving.  Living with less. Trying to be an example. Do the right thing.  Leave the  comfortable.  Sell.  Move.  More than once.  Give.  Don’t receive.

There’s an establishment.  People.  Leaders yet not really.  Only by title.  Questions.  They like you if you go along.  If you agree.  Sign on the dotted line and join the establishment. Get back. Whether you want or not, you are obligated.  You don’t have a choice.  To be, to be who you’re supposed to be.  You must.  You must stay and obey.

I’ve prayed it many, many times.

Establish the work of our hands.

Regarding my family.  Regarding our so called ministry.  Regarding my job/occupation/work. Regarding my husband’s work.  Regarding my hopes and goals and dreams.  Regarding my supposed talents and the things I enjoy.

Yet so often, I feel disestablished.  The opposite of what the verse asks to happen.  Often I feel like God has answered the prayers of others but not ours.  And I’m left wondering if we’ve failed.  Or if we’re victims of circumstance.  Because heaven knows, people make some really bad decisions.  Or maybe there’s a system that is horrific.  An establishment.

Friends who are going through it.  The establishment has let them down.  Dropped them, in fact.  Even though they’ve prayed the work of their hands be established.  Their desires were only good.  They are good.

Young people who see their parents suffer.  Wonder themselves if they were lied to.  They believed in something that no longer knows who they are or where they are.

Despite the establishment, can we still establish?  Can something good come out of much strife?  You’ll possibly think I’m being dramatic, if you haven’t experienced what I’ve described.  If you’re unsure, please know you have not.  You will know if you have.  If your response is, “yes, I understand, but you need to keep trying…”  then you simply cannot comprehend.  Because you’ve never been all in and have your in taken.  Or, sadly, you’re one of the takers, perhaps?  I hope not.

Relinquishing control of one’s work is the hardest aspect of working.  It can, quite possibly, mean success is not forthcoming.  Success is easier to manipulate if you’re the one in control.  If you’re part of the establishment.