Have you ever done something that you really didn't want to do, but...

[fhjmom]

...It felt like you we're supposed to do? I am talking a large, life changing decision that in some ways would be very positive, but in your heart, emotionally you just don't want to do it. How did it turn out? How did you come to a peace about the decision?

 

From a Christian perspective, it is a feeling that God is leading you in a direction that you would really not want to go or choose on your own.

 

I am open to input from all perspectives. Thanks!

[CatholicMom]

So you're saying you think God is leading you to have another baby and you're not sure if you want to. :laugh: LOL j/k

 

Seriously, though, I have gone through this with having children. I am newly Catholic (6 months ago) but have been against birth control for biblical reasons since I got married 10 yrs ago. For a while, I was gung-ho about having babies as close together as they came (though we have never tried to get pregnant). That worked for a while and then, to be honest, I was having a secret little panic attack about having more babies before I was ready. I was exhausted, getting sick a lot, attempting to homeschool, and wasn't sure I could take getting pregnant again as quickly as I normally do. I was overwhelmed for sure. But I got through it by God's grace and it "just so happened" that during my pregnancy with my 4th baby, I really started to look into the Catholic Church. Looking into the Catholic Church was completely unrelated to the birth control/babies issue but I was shocked that the Catholic Church teaches almost exactly what I had believed for years prior based on the scriptures. Only the Catholic Church taught it with a lot more clarity than I was able to gather on my own from the scriptures, and explained the beauty of what I believed more than I could articulate it. The CC also taught that the faithful are free to use NFP to space out births or avoid pregnancy for the indefinite future BUT only by way of NFP (abstinence) and never by means of hormonal or barrier bc, AND only if you have a serious reason. So I ended up taking a class to learn how to use NFP and immediately after I had my fourth baby, dh & I used NFP to give us a breather before having another baby. I feel like it was God working out all things for the good of those who love Him. I think He was providing for my need right when I needed it. Not a moment too soon :laugh: but right when I needed it, and I believe He was blessing me for remaining faithful to & trusting in what I believed he was calling me to do (not use bc & welcome children as blessings). We were able to use NFP to avoid pregnancy for two years before we got pregnant again and by that point I could handle another baby. God doesn't promise that doing His will will always be easy, but we need to do the right thing whether it's easy or not, and thankfully, God often blesses our trust with His help. I think it turned out pretty well since I have 5 beautiful kids and I can't imagine not having my youngest, Hannah. :) I am also thrilled that my older daughter now has a sister to grow up with and be there for her for the rest of her life.

 

So though you might be dealing with a different situation, my advice as a Christian is to make sure what you feel God is leading you to do IS in line with scripture. If you still feel strongly that God is leading you in that direction, then I think you should pray for strength to do His will with a glad heart. Purpose to trust in Him that He knows what's best for you and your family and if you need help, He will provide it. That doesn't mean "bad" things never happen, but that in ways we don't always understand in this life, He is working all things out for the good of those who love Him.

 

God bless you and give you strength!

[TGHEALTHYMOM]

I chose LIFE almost 16 years ago as a single person. Won't post details, but it sure changed my life for the good. God definitely worked through people to encourage and help me.

 

I hope whatever you are facing, you will have peace.

[Harriet Vane]

...It felt like you we're supposed to do? I am talking a large, life changing decision that in some ways would be very positive, but in your heart, emotionally you just don't want to do it. How did it turn out? How did you come to a peace about the decision?

 

From a Christian perspective, it is a feeling that God is leading you in a direction that you would really not want to go or choose on your own.

 

I am open to input from all perspectives. Thanks!

 

I felt that God specifically led me to mother five young children whose mother was dying and whose family life, though loving, was crazy-dysfunctional. I wrapped my life around theirs for nearly a decade, knowing all along that various adults in the mix would ultimately beat me up emotionally. I have no regrets as far as the children go. I will never regret the time I spent with their mother, brightening the last years of her sad life. I have a lot of anger towards those who have chosen to behave badly over the years. Ultimately it has been quite painful, but I do not regret the choice I made, and I trust that God walks with me and will help me feel better.

 

I also felt that God wanted our family to live in a dangerous urban neighborhood in which we would be the minority. That was a much harder decision for me, but I also felt that God clearly addressed my many doubts. It was not an easy life, but ultimately it was a very good life for us. I treasure the community and our friends there, and I treasure the perspective it gave me and gave my children. God protected us and gave us much joy there.

 

How did I come to peace with it? In the case of the children, I was absolutely certain about the path God had put before me. That was a gift God gave me to help me through the rough times. In the case of our former neighborhood, continued prayer and the support of dear, dear friends helped me find peace not once, but many times. In that case, I had to keep seeking God and hold tight to my friends. I also had to specifically force myself, many times, to choose to focus on the things that I valued about living there--my friends or our easy access to the wonderful resources of the city, for example.

[CatholicMom]

Just thought to add: I have also felt this way about homeschooling! And I'm sure I'm not the only one! I have had more times than I care to admit when I fantasized about sending the kids to public school (which is only about a block away - Oh, the temptation! lol). But I have to continually remind myself that, I chose homeschooling out of principle and those principles haven't changed. I have had to keep my eyes on the goals I have for my children and my relationship with them and continually remind myself that the biggest reason I consider public school now and then is to give myself a break. But I know I wouldn't be happy and I think my kids are better off at home as well. So I have gone through periods of time where I am definitely doing something "I don't want to do" merely out of principle and trust. But it's worth it and every now and then I am able to stand back and see the fruit of my labor and I'm so glad I've stuck with it.

 

This pales in comparison to what the other ladies have said! But just thought I would add that application.

[gardenmom5]

...It felt like you we're supposed to do? I am talking a large, life changing decision that in some ways would be very positive, but in your heart, emotionally you just don't want to do it. How did it turn out? How did you come to a peace about the decision?

 

From a Christian perspective, it is a feeling that God is leading you in a direction that you would really not want to go or choose on your own.

 

I am open to input from all perspectives. Thanks!

 

Yes, I've had things I felt like God wanted me to do, but I didn't want to. I chose to have faith and followed those promptings. I also prayed for peace about them. yes, they worked out because God really does want what is best for us. (and He has a better view of what's ahead.)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dh and I have gone into two different ministries which we really didn't want to go into but felt like God wanted us to do. We did not underestimate the difficulties in the ministries but were blessed both times and hopefully blessed others as well.

[kalanamak]

I had to let go of someone I really loved. When I hurt, I would close my eyes and imagine peeling one finger at a time off of some nameless thing I was gripping. I visualized the change. I labeled the hurt with a mechanical motion.

 

I won't say it helped me feel good about it, but it got me through some dark moments of sorrow.

 

Another trick I do is tell myself I'm doing something because it represents the kind of person I am, or that it is something I have to do to be strong for someone weaker than me, and THAT represents the kind of person I want to be.

HTH and :grouphug:

[DawnM]

Yup! Every visit to the in-laws.

[justamouse]

Yeah, just about everything.

 

Don't get me wrong, when I think I should do something, I will do it out of obedience, but I will bitch and moan (in my head) the whole way. Why do it anyway? Because I did it once, and it ended up going well, so I did it again, and it worked out...then again...so it's this joke God and I go through...

 

Why would I lie about where I was emotionally with something? It's not as if God doesn't know, anyway. If it's right, do it, and be cranky about it. It's ok. Moses, David, Apostles, they all tried to get out of it, they all gave a gazillion excuses why they were certainly not the people to use...

 

It's an old story. :)

 

You know the story about the child sitting on the floor looking up at the back of his mother's tapestry thinking it's a rotten mess of thread? And then she turns it over and it's beautiful? We just don't know everything.

[SorrelZG]

 

We are moving - in faith - and while one part of me is very excited about serving the Lord in this new place and in this new way, part of me is so fearful that it wants to throw up thanks to the fact that I haven't been casting all my cares upon the Lord of late. Additionally, I struggle with thinking that although I know God is good, I also know He doesn't owe me anything and is still good even in tragedy and horror and I have no Scriptural promise that He will keep me from either in this life (I'm a conjurer of worst case scenarios). In a sense it's true but it's sure not comforting. I need new thoughts and some comforting promises to cling to so I don't have anything encouraging to contribute to anyone else right now but have been encouraged by reading others.

[TXMomof4]

There have been many times when I felt I *should* do something and I didn't want to. I'd love to say I always do the thing I should even when I don't want to, but sometimes I just don't. (Shades of Romans in that statement there!) While there haven't been any catastrophic results I'm certain some of the results are less than ideal, kwim? When I think about what could have been I'm usually able to see where it would have been better if I had just done what I knew was the right thing.

[LearningMomm]

Yup, all the time. I have a very hard time NOT doing it.

[fhjmom]

Thank you so much for all of you who shared! Your stories have been very encouraging and given me a lot to think about. For what it is worth, DH and I are both on the same page in that it really isn't our own desire but we do both feel that it is something God may be calling us to do. It just isn't crystal clear and I wish it were more so, but I guess that is part of where the faith thing comes in, huh?

 

Thank you again!

[Cinder]

I didn't want to quit work when I was pregnant with ds1. Dh and I explored a lot of options including him staying home. We signed up for daycare. At some point in all this we decided I should quit work and stay home with ds. Once that decision was made I had so much peace and was actually looking forward to quitting work. Interestingly I could also see where my work situation was going to change dramatically if I came back after maternity leave--not in a good way. Ds just turned 18; that decision to stay home was so worth it.

 

Another time we had to do something was when dh was unemployed and we had to consider a big move for him to find a job. That was so hard. We did *not* want to move. We loved where we were, the friends we had, our church. Once we decided we were ready to give up all those things dh learned about a job 2 states away. He got the job and we moved. We were blessed to find some long lost friends (long story but it was really a God thing) but other than that we have not enjoyed the move overall. We've been here 8 years now and still don't feel like this is the right place for us. Maybe it's us? I don't know, but we're still trying to be content with where we are.