I'm not sure how to start my thoughts on this subject, so I'm just going to jump in and hope it makes some sense when I'm done.
I woke up one morning with the thought that God is in control, and my trust must be in Him. This thought woke me around 4:30am, David Jeremiah was coming on the TV and he was talking about God's sovereignty.
I don't know why I'm surprised when that sort of thing happens, because it happens so often.
There have been so many things happen in the world, in my life, and in my ministry involvement that have left me, honestly, discouraged. I've been wrestling with the question of what God truly wants from me.
The world is the world, and I can readily file the circumstances of the day under "it is what it is" and move on.
COVID, riots, elections, conspiracies . . . all of these things are, from an eternal perspective, more of the same. Different names for the same old thing. The world is a broken place. It broke way back in the garden, became more confused when man started to build the tower, and has been in steady decline since.
Man (and by that I mean humanity) has, in our "infinite" wisdom, made choice after choice that has kept things broken. We have tried to assert control over something that we do not have sovereignty over. We seek our own wisdom, we worry over things, and find nothing but more anxiety and more brokenness.
I can accept that about the world, and acknowledge it as larger than myself, set my resolve on individually following God and His will in my life and let it go.
The things that are going on in my life I can file under "it is what it is" (yes, that is a very thick file...) because it's largely made up of things breaking and needing maintenance. This happens, and simply put, I'm not getting any younger so the constant maintenance and repair is wearying. Yet, it happens, and will continue to happen.
So where those things are concerned I do my best to do what I can, and look for the blessings in it all. I have breath in my lungs, I have an organizational outlook, I have resources at my disposal, I have a decent working knowledge of how things work that allows me to configure work-arounds when I'm not able to affect a total repair. All of these are blessings from God, some outright gifts, and some earned through experience of the opportunities God has provided in my life. I can accept that and let it go.
Where I struggle most is in my ministry life. Where I need to trust God the most, interestingly, is the area where my involvement serves to build and maintain His kingdom. I have been taking a "spiritual inventory" lately and I openly share that I feel woefully inadequate to answer the call I feel God has placed in my heart.
And yet, despite my asking God to take the desire from me, it remains. Despite my feeling inadequate, and that inadequacy seemingly confirmed by some of those walking this journey with me, I still feel led a certain way.
Proverbs 16:9 has been ever present in my thoughts throughout this time, and I try to take to heart this simple concept: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
However things work out, I know I must trust that God is in control - God's GOT THIS. My wisdom is not going to lead me to a place where I'm better suited for His calling. The assertion of others that I'm not suited is not going to change His calling. I have to move forward with the knowledge that His calling "is what it is" and trust that God is sovereign in this, as He is sovereign in all things.
Thank you all for coming along on my journey. I try to share pretty openly on social media as it has become a primary outlet for my desire to share and teach. My knowledge is not as great as the knowledge of some, but my desire is to serve the Lord and His people by sharing what He brings to me.
When I share these things, I try to share some scripture to reinforce my thoughts, and there are so many passages that assert God's authority and sovereignty that I'm just going to encourage you this morning to use your computer and search "God's sovereignty, scripture" and spend the time you would ordinarily spend looking at memes and political dissidence digging into His word - just for one day. God will use that time to speak to you directly, in a way I'm simply not able.
Maybe you're struggling with something the same way I am. I don't think it's anything that is "uncommon to man." If that's you this morning, I hope that my openness in sharing what I'm going through will help you know that you're not alone.
I hope you will take a moment and contemplate God's sovereignty, His rule over ALL, and I hope you will ask Him to rule over your life, put your trust in Him and surrender your fears, worry, and brokenness to Him.
I hope that you will pray for me, that I will do the same.
Father, God, thank You for Your sovereign nature. Thank You for the blessings You've given to help me manage and mitigate life's issues. Help me to be worthy of Your calling in my life. I place my trust in You, and You alone, and I humbly but boldly ask that You guide me in Your will to the place You will bless me with the opportunity to answer Your call. My hope is in You, Lord. Amen.
I woke up one morning with the thought that God is in control, and my trust must be in Him. This thought woke me around 4:30am, David Jeremiah was coming on the TV and he was talking about God's sovereignty.
I don't know why I'm surprised when that sort of thing happens, because it happens so often.
There have been so many things happen in the world, in my life, and in my ministry involvement that have left me, honestly, discouraged. I've been wrestling with the question of what God truly wants from me.
The world is the world, and I can readily file the circumstances of the day under "it is what it is" and move on.
COVID, riots, elections, conspiracies . . . all of these things are, from an eternal perspective, more of the same. Different names for the same old thing. The world is a broken place. It broke way back in the garden, became more confused when man started to build the tower, and has been in steady decline since.
Man (and by that I mean humanity) has, in our "infinite" wisdom, made choice after choice that has kept things broken. We have tried to assert control over something that we do not have sovereignty over. We seek our own wisdom, we worry over things, and find nothing but more anxiety and more brokenness.
I can accept that about the world, and acknowledge it as larger than myself, set my resolve on individually following God and His will in my life and let it go.
The things that are going on in my life I can file under "it is what it is" (yes, that is a very thick file...) because it's largely made up of things breaking and needing maintenance. This happens, and simply put, I'm not getting any younger so the constant maintenance and repair is wearying. Yet, it happens, and will continue to happen.
So where those things are concerned I do my best to do what I can, and look for the blessings in it all. I have breath in my lungs, I have an organizational outlook, I have resources at my disposal, I have a decent working knowledge of how things work that allows me to configure work-arounds when I'm not able to affect a total repair. All of these are blessings from God, some outright gifts, and some earned through experience of the opportunities God has provided in my life. I can accept that and let it go.
Where I struggle most is in my ministry life. Where I need to trust God the most, interestingly, is the area where my involvement serves to build and maintain His kingdom. I have been taking a "spiritual inventory" lately and I openly share that I feel woefully inadequate to answer the call I feel God has placed in my heart.
And yet, despite my asking God to take the desire from me, it remains. Despite my feeling inadequate, and that inadequacy seemingly confirmed by some of those walking this journey with me, I still feel led a certain way.
Proverbs 16:9 has been ever present in my thoughts throughout this time, and I try to take to heart this simple concept: "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
However things work out, I know I must trust that God is in control - God's GOT THIS. My wisdom is not going to lead me to a place where I'm better suited for His calling. The assertion of others that I'm not suited is not going to change His calling. I have to move forward with the knowledge that His calling "is what it is" and trust that God is sovereign in this, as He is sovereign in all things.
Thank you all for coming along on my journey. I try to share pretty openly on social media as it has become a primary outlet for my desire to share and teach. My knowledge is not as great as the knowledge of some, but my desire is to serve the Lord and His people by sharing what He brings to me.
When I share these things, I try to share some scripture to reinforce my thoughts, and there are so many passages that assert God's authority and sovereignty that I'm just going to encourage you this morning to use your computer and search "God's sovereignty, scripture" and spend the time you would ordinarily spend looking at memes and political dissidence digging into His word - just for one day. God will use that time to speak to you directly, in a way I'm simply not able.
Maybe you're struggling with something the same way I am. I don't think it's anything that is "uncommon to man." If that's you this morning, I hope that my openness in sharing what I'm going through will help you know that you're not alone.
I hope you will take a moment and contemplate God's sovereignty, His rule over ALL, and I hope you will ask Him to rule over your life, put your trust in Him and surrender your fears, worry, and brokenness to Him.
I hope that you will pray for me, that I will do the same.
Father, God, thank You for Your sovereign nature. Thank You for the blessings You've given to help me manage and mitigate life's issues. Help me to be worthy of Your calling in my life. I place my trust in You, and You alone, and I humbly but boldly ask that You guide me in Your will to the place You will bless me with the opportunity to answer Your call. My hope is in You, Lord. Amen.