The Mulligrubs

I dedicate this story to my dad who celebrates his 89^th birthday today. He always searches for the good in all situations and does his best to keep others from the “mulligrubs”. Happy birthday and I love you dad.

 

 Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB). 

I was recently frustrated and struggling as to whether or not I was following God’s direction for my life.  I was praying for guidance, however I was still allowing worry to take control and finding myself in a state of what my dad refers to as “the mulligrubs.” *

Frequently, I take one step forward and two steps back. Instead of letting God guide and occupy my every thought, I allow fear and worry to lead. I know that the only way I will become everything God has created me to be is by eliminating worry from my life. I don’t always follow his advice, but I love what Rick Warren says about worry, “When you think about a problem over and over in your mind, that’s called worry. When you think about God’s Word over and over in your mind, that’s meditation. If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate!”

I had been listening to George Muller’s audio book called Answers to Prayers and as I completed the appendices, the podcast continued to revert back to chapter 3 part 3. So instead of correcting it for the third time, I decided I would listen to that section again while getting ready for church. In this section, Muller discusses how he identified God’s direction on a particular issue.  He found Proverbs 3:5-6 to be verses that offered assurance in his search. It reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB). 

Not having the good sense to realize that the verse might have been God’s direction regarding my struggles, I nonchalantly turned off the audio book. I drove to my sister’s church where I arrived a few minutes early through a side door that I had never entered. As I walked up to look for her, I practically bumped into a granite monument in the atrium that had the following verse inscribed on it; “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” Proverbs 3:6.  I encountered the same verse within a 30 minute period from two very different sources. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I am pretty sure that was my answer from God.

 His direction now seemed obvious: memorize, meditate and apply this verse as a source to guide. It certainly beats hanging out with worry that most assuredly leads to “the mulligrubs!”  

*1. A griping of the intestines; colic.
   2. Hence, sullenness; the sulks.

Michele (Peachele)