Finding MY way is a waste of time!

The other day, while driving home, I was listening to Third Day. I was singing along to “Revelation”, an amazing song, which I’d heard many times before, when suddenly the words jumped out at me! I love the way the Holy Spirit does that. I heard/sang the part “trying to find my way”, and that’s when the epiphany hit! That’s exactly the problem! I heard that still small voice say ‘People try to find THEIR way, when they need to always be seeking MY way’. Ouch. Proverbs 14:12 says “There is a way which seems right to a man and appears straight before him but, at the end of it, is the way of death.” Honestly, my way is usually wrong, a bad idea, or at least bad timing. Truth is truth. If I haven’t asked the Lord what He wants, then what I come up with is usually off base. That’s because it proceeds out of my unrenewed flesh. Without His leading, I don’t make the greatest decisions. Basically, I do what I want when I want it. But don’t we all have that tendency??? Last week, I was online buying shoes (again), and I heard that quiet whisper that said “Ya know ya haven’t asked My permission lately?” I immediately knew what the Holy Spirit meant. He was so gently bringing to my attention that I’d gotten out of the habit (again) of asking His permission before I do things. Unlike kids who grow up into adults and do not have to ask their parents anymore, we never outgrow that need as a child of God. We always need His direction, His insight, His protection. We need to tap into what He knows, which is what’s best for us...and what’s not. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Since He is a God Who knows what I need and is my ultimate Provider, why do I tend to think I have to make things happen for myself? Matthew 6:8 says “…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” And His way is always better than my way. It never fails that, when it’s all said and done, I like His way better! After He prevents my way or I wait on Him for His way, I am always in awe of what all He brought together and how superb it is! So, then why do I always have to fight that tendency to seek my way?!? Why do I think that my plans are better or my timing more perfect or what I want more important than what He wants? I don’t actually have those conscious thoughts, but my behavior, at times, conveys exactly that. Proverbs 3:5-6 reveals the remedy “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” As I've become more submitted, I've found my prayer has become "Have YOUR way, Lord". Really, trying to find or get MY way is a waste of time because ultimately (thankfully!) God will have HIS way in my life, and that way is always sweeter and more blessed!!! :)

God - the Original Recycler

In a world that preaches ‘reduce reuse recycle’, yesterday morning’s epiphany from on high was rather fitting. The Holy Spirit dropped this little morsel in my spirit, and it began to grow. So, go with me here. “God is the original recycler”. In fact, in God’s eyes, there is no waste or trash. Everything and everyone is recyclable. No need to check for the proper symbol or sign. It’s automatic in His kingdom. First, He rescued all of us who have chosen Him from the trash heap, the dumpster, of life. There is no hope, no real life without Him. I don’t know about you, but my life was/is a pile of poop without Him. I am helpless to save myself, to turn anything around, to take any bad situation and miraculously convert it into something useful. But He can…and He does…every day. Many are familiar with Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” But sometimes we’ve heard something so much that we don’t really ‘hear’ it anymore. So, this is a new take on that straight from the heart of God. God will never leave us or discard us. In other words, no one is trash in His eyes. Every life is redeemable, worth saving, worth ‘recycling’. He never ever gives up on us. He has a plan and a purpose for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11) and will continue to do all He can to carry that purpose out in us until the day we die. And then He takes every situation and uses it for something. No matter how big or small, it will be recycled. Friends, there is intense hope in that thought!!! In other words, no matter what you are going through right now, no matter how hard, tough, painful, etc., God will take it and use it for something good in your life! So, God is able to take everything, even waste, and convert it into part of the masterpiece He’s making of your life. Woo hoo! That gets me excited! I’ve known this, but this epiphany just really extended the whole concept for me and showed me this as a whole side of God...the Recycler. Lately, there have been some things in my life that I am in awe of how God has ‘converted’ them! The last few years have been full of blessing but have also been a hard road to walk at times, but I’ve seen God turn things for our good, as well as take the seeds of obedience and faithfulness…that we ‘planted’ during some of our toughest times…and begin to convert them into an amazing harvest full of joy and anticipation! God keeps reminding me lately of the promise in Psalms 30:5 “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!” At this moment in our lives, we sense the dawn of a new day, and I am absolutely ecstatic! I have hardly been able to contain my joy thru the last week. I am so excited about this new chapter in our lives because God has sooo been busy recycling! You cannot begin to imagine what he can do with madness and sorrow, with hideous choices, with a life full of self-destruction, with great loss, until you open your hand to take His, let go of your life, and ask Him to please recycle it. Then, one day, you will look around and be in awe of how He took a mess and made a fabulous masterpiece!!! I know I’m beginning to see it take shape, and for that I am amazed and most grateful!