ROOTED RENEGADE

Listening to a sermon today on “Messed Up Plans” in church it was not surprising to sit in my chair and know that the message was spot on. As I sat there taking notes, I knew that God had me right where He wanted me, listening to just the right message. I had been so upset over some derailed plans, heart broken because what I had longed so much to do was not coming to fruition. Then, it all made perfect sense, like finding the missing piece to a thousand piece puzzle.

Isaiah 55:8-9 New International Version (NIV)

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It would figure that sitting there I would feel heavy conviction over not seeking God’s counsel first and foremost. I went ahead with my plan over ambitious excitement not realizing that I was getting way ahead of myself. Don’t we all do this in our lives? Don’t we all push forward in the race without waiting for an answer from the one who knows best? Thinking we have all the answers. Our humanistic perspective, all knowing, so we feel. Our pride and ego making us feel so important like we can conquer everything without seeking God’s wisdom and authority first.

As I sat there I felt the answers to my questions really hit me hard. I had cried on the way to church, begging God to just give me what I sought from Him. But what He was not answering for me, was a way of showing me what I needed to do instead. It was obedience. It was seeking His face first, not what I wanted. It was doing what He needed me to do first. Not what I wanted. Don’t get me wrong, what I want to do is not bad, it is actually for a good cause, but I chose to get ahead of God. I am not Him by any means. I cannot ignore things like my health and think He won’t make me pay attention. I can’t ignore His calling to me and think that He is not sovereign enough to take care of me and show me that as well.

All too often we minimize God and what He does in our lives. The disturbances which call us to greater purposes. The way He calls us to Him to bring honor and glory to His Kingdom and not our own selfish desires. We want our lives to be different. For those of us who have experienced great difficulties in life, great traumas, this is especially true. Different can mean many, many things. A vast array of differences we seek and God wants us to succeed, but in HIS WILL – HIS WAY – FOLLOWING HIS PATH.

So when our plans derail we need to check our motives. We need to reassess the thought process in which we laid our plans out and realign them with God’s plan for our lives. For we cannot continue to live a Godly life following our own plans. They will fail us every time. Living according to God’s Will is something we should strive for each morning when we wake up. Not to say we will do it right every day. But we can reposition ourselves when we don’t get it right and try again. Grace extends to us and mercies are new every morning. Each new day brings new challenges and a chance to try again. Living according to God’s will is hard sometimes, but at least I know that my Father is good, and loves me even when it takes me a minute to see past the brim of my own nose!

Day 8 Off The Grid

You can text OTG to 513-268-0756 Church on Fire (Harrison, Ohio) or visit their blog at http://www.mycfm.org/blog to join me and see where the Father leads you on a journey of getting closer with him!