I am not sure which of the two facts is the greater mystery. First, the fact that an all knowing, all powerful God could anticipate an individual's needs centuries, even millenniums in advance and prepare everything. Second, the ongoing phenomena that people for generations cannot learn from their mistakes. The magnitude of the event is staggering, however, there are things we can draw confidence from.
Two years ago I accepted responsibility for a group that was, according to the experts, in a bit of trouble. Apparently, the group rarely if ever met their deadlines and the quality of the service provided by them to their clients was below acceptable levels. In my first meetings with the managers, their defensiveness was right out front. Their plea was clear.
“We are doing a great job given the circumstances.”
“We are battling against difficult circumstances.”
“We are doing the best possible.”
The facts were clear. I could not find any met deadline and quality, once we defined it, was terrible! People worked very hard with little results. I could not find any real confidence anywhere!
Today, the group is almost unrecognizable. The main players continue, however, things are very different. People know and understand deadlines. They always meet deadlines with open communication along the way. Service is well defined, measured constantly, and consistently improving. Managers talk about their weaknesses and failures openly. Their words are clear.
“We continue to take on difficult challenges as a team, knowing that together we can win.”
“We are improving, however, we know there are always ways we can improve.”
“We are one of the best and getting better!”
The reasons are still not well known, but I know the real key. God's approach works in all situations. I knew that “even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us.” (Romans 15.4) Others may continue to wonder, but I am sure God's framework is a perfect fit.
Confident? Absolutely! God knows your needs and mine. God is ready to be the difference. It is your move.
