Sunday, May 4, 2014

God Gave Me You


For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13

A few days ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about God's plan for us.  He had suffered an anxiety attack over some issues going on in his life.  I told him that I used to regularly have panic attacks as well.  The world would race around me, and I felt that I could not breathe.  It was in those time that i thought of my greatest comfort, my mother singing "You Are My Sunshine."  I would begin singing the song, and my panic attack would subside.  However, that was only a temporary measure, and the problems were not going away.  I took a long hard look at myself and realized that I was nothing without my faith in God.  Talking to God had gotten me through the fear and confusion of coming to terms with being gay, and many other issues I have faced in my life.  And I realized that I needed to turn to God and depend on him more.

As Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." I told my friend that God has a plan for us.  Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."  We must look and pray to God for guidance if we want to enter through the narrow gate.

This discussion eventually turned to a discussion of if part of God's plan had been for us to meet and become friends.  Without hesitation, I said that it was.  I am fortunate for all of my friends and I believe that God had a purpose in bringing those loved ones into my life.  Sometimes life can be so difficult and stressful, but when we have faith in God, He has a way to relive that pain and stress.  I certainly believe that friends are one of the many, and maybe one of the most important, ways he does this.

"God Gave Me You" is a song written and originally recorded by American contemporary Christian music singer Dave Barnes. Barnes wrote the song after the title came to him while he was walking through London, England. He told Country Weekly that "the lyrics just flowed together with the melody" when he wrote it. Barnes also said that he was inspired by his wife, Annie, who supported him "through all the ups and downs of an artist's career." After releasing it, he said that he received mail from fans who said that the song's message "saved marriages or became a theme for a couple's relationship."  In 2011, country music singer Blake Shelton covered the song for his album Red River Blue. It was released in July 2011 as the second single from this album. Shelton heard Barnes' version of the song on a contemporary Christian station, and said that it inspired him to propose to then-girlfriend Miranda Lambert; the music video included footage from Lambert the night before their wedding.

Both Barnes and Shelton use the song to show the love and support their wives have given them, but I think the words are so universal for anyone who is important in your life.  I have several people in my life that I am lucky that God gave me, and I hope that you too have someone that God gave you to help you through troubled times and in the good as well.  God has a plan for each of us, so ask Him for his guidance in following the right path.

"God Gave Me You"

I've been a walking heartache
I've made a mess of me
The person that I've been lately
Ain't who I wanna be

But you stay here right beside me
And watch as the storm blows through
And I need you

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it's true
God gave me you
Gave me you

There's more here than what we're seeing
A divine conspiracy
That you, an angel lovely
Could somehow fall for me
You'll always be love's great martyr
And I'll be the flattered fool
And I need you
Yeah!

God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it's true
God gave me you

On my own I'm only
Half of what I could be
I can't do without you
We are stitched together
And what love has tethered
I pray we never undo

Cause God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
God gave me you for the ups and downs
God gave me you for the days of doubt
And for when I think I lost my way
There are no words here left to say, it's true
God gave me you, gave me you
He gave me you

6 comments:

Unknown said...

This passage from Jeremiah is one of my favorites. One translation speaks of "a future full of hope."

silvereagle said...

Very nice posting on a Sunday Morning!!!

Thanks, friend.

JiEL said...

I sometime hope to find my soul mate....

Must admit that as my life is going by and my age getting in the 60s, my chances to find «HIM» is more desperate.

Today's world is ALL for young men and we, older ones, are often leftover....

I often pray the Lord to give me this «LAST» happines of Love and been loved....

Best regards.

Amanda said...

Thanks for a great post! :)

Anonymous said...

This one got to me. Thanks. And the song is awesome!

Peace <3
Jay

Anonymous said...

Great post today. Your friend is very lucky to be able to call you a friend. Sounds like you gave him things to think about. Friends are a very important part of my life too. I only have a few people who I can call true friends. One has been my best friend for nearly 5 yrs. We met our freshman year in college. She stood by me during the darkest time in my life when other "friends" including my BF at the time abandoned me. I can't really blame them because my life was rather messy, but in those hard times you really see who your true friends are. My roommate is my other best friend. He's str8 as can be but treats me like a brother. Far more than my own brother ever did. He is the most generous, caring, supportive guy in the world. Last September I met my other two best friends. One is my boyfriend, love of my life and soon to be new roommate. He's made me the happiest man on earth. I often wonder what he sees in me, but as long as he sees something I certainly won't question him. My other best friend came into my life in an unusual way. I didn't know that I needed another best friend until he came into my life. Now I don't know what I'd do without him. He has an ability to read me like no other and change my frequent bad moods to happiness. You might be thinking that I can only have one best friend, but I actually have four. I'm so thankful for each of them. They are my best friends and they are my family.