The Ring Reminder

Recently I lost one of my favorite rings.  My husband gave it to me for my birthday one year.

This ring has a tendency to slide off my finger easily when I'm doing housework.  Especially when I'm washing the floors on my hands and knees.  Something about the suds makes it slide right off.  (Or maybe it's trying to get out of cleaning!)

I looked through the house over and over to no avail.  I even emptied out the trash bag filled with gross paper towels, wet and dirty from cleaning usage and even unwrinkled them to look for the symbol of love.  Still no ring.

I finally gave up and prayed that God would help me find it.  I had done all I knew to do short of taking all the pipes apart to see if it went down the drain.

As days turned into weeks, my heart struggled to keep hoping.

Last week I was getting ready for bed when I dropped the stud of an ear ring on to the floor.  I got down on my hands and knees to look for the small piece of jewelry on the carpet.  When I still couldn't find it, I got down as low as I could and peeped under the dresser.  Sure enough - there was my ring.

How it ever ended up there is a mystery.  The fact that I don't always vacuum under the dresser every week is such a blessing at times like this for I surely would have vacuumed up the ring if I was an immaculate housekeeper.   (Don't even go there!)

It was a pleasant reminder when it comes to some other prayers I've been praying.  Lately I've been struggling with fear and anxiety over many things.  I know the Bible says not to worry or have any anxiety about ANYTHING, but to pray about everything WITH thanksgiving.  Knowing is always easier than doing.

I am tempted to try and solve my own problems, get a normal job to help fix all the things that have been breaking down around here, etc.   ie.  Just got word that our car will cost more to fix than what we paid for it.  But then I'm taking things into my own hands, just like the desperate searching the house for the ring.

It seems like when I finally just released it all to God and asked Him to show me where it was, He gently led me to it when I wasn't even looking for it.

My problems, worries and cares are no different.  I am learning to just release it ALL to Him and ask Him to lead me to the solutions instead of driving myself nuts with figuring out solutions on my own.

Yes, I'm glad I found the ring, but the truth is, the main reason is that it serves as a constant reminder to me that God will help me find all the solutions I need, as I trust Him to lead me.  Worry drives me, but God leads me.
I'd prefer to be led.