Seeing What God is Doing

This post is by Tami Rodriguez.

Proverbs 29:18 MSG- 

If people can’t see what God is doing,

    they stumble all over themselves;

But when they attend to what he reveals,

    they are most blessed.

I love this translation of Proverbs from The Message—oh how often I have stumbled all over myself trying to make great plans, blind to what God was doing! I’ve shared before that I love planning. I love planners! I’ve spent hours joyfully organizing planners to simplify or strategize my life. Sometimes I pray and seek God but oddly, though I know that’s really the only way to do it successfully, I more often plow ahead with all of my struggles, frustrations and schedules and think that I alone can put them in perfect order to make life easier or “right”. 

My life in the past 2 years has not been my own—like it ever is, but let me explain. In December of 2023 my then 14-year-old daughter got a stress fracture while in gymnastics. What followed was 7 stress fractures in 3 different leg bones from things as simple as walking, and nobody could figure out why or how to stop it. I went from having a 14-year-old gymnast to a 16year-old in and out of a wheelchair. I went from sitting at a gym to sitting in multiple hospitals and doctors offices, full of fear and frustration, longing for the days of a boring gym and a healthy girl tumbling. 

While things seemed to spin out of control, the planner girl in me continued to step up and try to “right” all things. I tried to create order and make life make sense and feel doable in the midst of countless phone calls, online messages, and office visits. You’d think I’d be seeking God, and I was—for help for my daughter! But for me, no I could do it! 

If I just got up earlier, made more lists, ordered my days more I would find some peace in this chaos. As you can guess—it didn’t work. I just exhausted myself. Not only was our life emotionally and physically heavy, I was adding to the list by demanding the same out of me or thinking that would help. 

When I saw the verse above, it stopped me in my tracks. What was God doing? Trust me I’ve asked that many times…”God, what are you doing!!!??” But when I slow down and take a breath and really ask that question, I can tell you a few things God is doing… He has grown a faith in my daughter that is precious and beautiful and so strong in her weakness. He has taught us both to surrender to His will and know it is good even when we don’t understand. He has provided in’s to hospitals and specialists that should’ve taken a year and gotten her in in a month! He has provided her with siblings and friends that invite her to draw or play games or…cry and eat ice cream while they watch movies! He has provided a church family that gathered around her wheelchair and anointed her with oil and wept and prayed—calling out to our loving Father for help. 

And while as I sit and type this, no test or doctor or appointment has helped—but I can say God is doing something! What does this have to do with planning? Well, as I stumbled all over myself trying to make things normal and “right” in my eyes, I rushed past all that He was doing. While I fiercely tried to manage all that came at me, I missed the beauty that was unfolding around me. 

Sometimes I think planning can be stopping. The vision and goal setting is sometimes just seeing Him. Letting Him have His way in my days and my life. Letting go of control and opening my hands and heart to what He has for me that often looks so different than anything I’ve ever planned. When I do that I know I will be blessed, and so will you. When they attend to what He reveals they are most blessed.

Tami Rodriguez has been married to her high school sweetheart for 32 years and has 5 children, two lovely daughters in law and a super smart and wild granddaughter! She has homeschooled for 22 years and still has 3 more to go...send coffee! Tami is a lifelong learner who loves to study God’s Word and share with others whenever given the opportunity.  You can find her living life as “just a mom who likes to write” over on instagram @rodfamily007.

Photo by H&CO on Unsplash