Confessions of a Christian Homeseller/buyer

We have been trying to sell our home for about 2.5 months. It's a really tough market and going to get tougher as we can see by the economic news of recent days. So needless to say when we got the first offer to buy our house, we moved heaven and earth to get the deal done honorably, fairly, and reasonably without losing the proverbial shirts off our back. We got the deal done in about 3 hours with our realtor on vacation in northern MI (thx, John, you rocked it!)

Then we turned around and started the mad rush to find home very quickly given we were closing in 30 days and needed to get the kids registered in a new school district and school in less time than that. Long story short: we found our house on the first day and put a reasonable and negotiable offer on that day. That was a week ago. Time seem to come to screeching halt or at least move in slow motion as negotiated with the realtor of a 89 woman whose kids live in KY and CA.

So here's the confession. Because we like the house so much and have to move rather quickly to get the other pieces into place, I have been praying like a man on fire! Talk about your prayer without ceasing. The problem is...I've prayed more for this house deal in the last week than I have in the last year for friends of mine who are far away from Jesus. I've prayed more in this week that God would work a miracle to sell that house to us than I have for those being rocked by famine and unjust food distribution systems. It seems like I have prayed more in this week for that house to move into our possession in a timely fashion than I have for my own children's hearts to be soft to Jesus. Ugh. Those hurt.

I'm sorry, Jesus. Please forgive me.

This has consumed me. And I have to ask myself honestly why? Materialism? Security? Selfishness? Care for my family? Whacked priorities? Lack of faith? Need? Desire? Both? Etc etc etc.

Can you relate? Have you gone/are you going through similar circumstances? What were/are you consumed by and how did/does that differ from other things you should be consumed by? How do you respond? How does God respond?

I believe through it all God is not up there pointing the finger at me going, "Shame on you, Seth. Shame. On. You!" No, I believe he is down here nudging me/prompting me/leading me saying, "This house selling/buying is important. I know it is. But don't let it blind you to what is more important to me: loving Me by following Jesus and loving others. Let what consumes me consume you. I'll take care of you. Remember I have your best interesting at heart."