When Life Shuffles You

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1 NLT

We shuffled, shuffled some more, and then shuffled some more—until everything was just right.

 

After nine years, our mattress and box springs had seen their better days, keeping my wife and me from enjoying our nights. Going to sleep became painful rather than restful. Hating to spend what I knew a good set would cost—but needing rest and the absence of pain—we went to one of our local furniture stores. Sure enough, they had a sale going on—a sale that still wasn’t enough of a sale for me.

 

Two days later, the company delivered our new mattress and box springs. But in the meantime, we did some more shuffling. Instead of carting off our old set, my wife put them in our spare bedroom. Even though the set was worn to a frazzle, they could still serve well if the grandboys spent the night or if we had company. That’s when the shuffle began.

 

Our spare bedroom had never served as a bedroom. Instead, it was an office area for my wall-to-wall bookcases filled with old and new books. My wife had noticed a picture on Instagram of how someone could turn books into a headboard for a bed—which we needed since we only had a metal base for the mattress and box springs to rest on. This little shuffling feat took us half of the day, stirred up a lot of dust, and caused us a lot of back pain, but we did it. And the result? Beauty and space for an extra bed.

 

God did a little shuffling with Abraham, too. He told him to leave the only home he’d ever known and travel to a place he’d never known. The Bible doesn’t record that Abraham debated or argued but gives the impression he simply did what God asked.

 

Life has a way of shuffling us around: with geography, with relationships, with jobs, and with schools. Since my dad was a preacher and changed churches often, I shuffled between numerous schools, never having time to make friends in the process. I didn’t always enjoy these shuffles. In fact, I can’t remember anticipating even one of the shuffles.

 

Following Christ entails believing He does the shuffling. We might never know why, but even when we do, the awareness typically follows the shuffle, not precedes it. Abraham trusted God for what he couldn’t see, and we must do the same, believing the shuffle provides something better ahead that God already knows about. Walking by faith means living with limited sight.

 

Sometimes, sweat, dust, and rearranging come with the shuffles. It did when we changed up our two bedrooms. But submission is the most critical trait we need when God shuffles us. He leads; we follow. When we do, we’ll discover a more rewarding experience on the other side of the shuffle. When God shuffles you, go willingly.

 

What have your learned from some of your shuffles?  

 

Prayer: Father, when You shuffle around my life, help me to go willingly. 

Tweetable: What have you learned from life's shuffles? 

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