He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Psalm 40:3a

Monday, December 9, 2024

Renew Daily

  A friend of mine recently shared she was experiencing serious changes in her life.  What she was certain would be her future changed nearly overnight.  Her first reaction was “why Lord?”  But as time passed, the questions subsided and she said, “Okay…..I just want to be obedient.  But I still don’t understand!”


I get this.  Sometimes we feel like we are “thrown under the bus” when life throws us a curve we didn’t expect and we just don’t know how to deal with it!  Being in God’s service, however, doesn’t mean we will always understand, even when we have an obedient heart.  Another friend of mine was sure she was supposed to teach after college; and she did, and did it well.  But God had other plans and led her down a path so far from teaching, her family was in a panic that she was making the wrong moves.  As she followed where God was leading, she completely believed, even though almost everyone close to her, gave her nothing but discouragement. 


Going against friend and family’s expectations can be a difficult thing.  It’s like being offered a position in the family business, but choosing to walk away.  Those “offering” can’t understand the mindset, even when they are told, “it’s not what God wants for me!”  They feel rebuffed and let down.


God knows our yesterdays, todays and our tomorrows.  He can take care of the future because he knows how it ends.  We haven’t a clue.  That’s the nature of being human.  From our perspective we are taking huge risks, and those risks are monumental to those who don’t understand our heart.


We are responsible for this moment.  It’s all we have.  We have a duty to carry out what is in front of us with pure motives, believing God will lead us in the right direction when we trust in Him.  What comes next, when we put our faith in the Great Creator is God’s plan.  We must trust His plan is so much better than what we had planned.  Even when changes come, and we clearly have no idea why, when, where or how; we can know when we are in His will, it’s going to be good—although it may be challenging!


When we are conscientious about searching God’s heart and will, and making a pure 'heart' decision to follow him daily, all the fretting, fussing, worrying and hard decision making, become easier.  We can be like my friend at the beginning of this post.  The heart will change, because God will change it.  He will remove the doubt, even if all the questions remain unanswered.  Because--- in God’s time, those questions will have all the right answers and it will make complete, good sense.


As you face decisions this next week, daily ask God’s will for your life.  Are you following what you want to do, or are you following God’s plan, even if it seems so unlikely, friends and family are having a panic attack?  As long as you are in God’s will, peace will reign in your heart and you can know it’s God, not you.


Photo Credit: Going Against The Grain