There was a season of my life when I was my own boss, and that season came with a lot of tears, mistakes, pains, and regret.
Scriptures tell us that we were created to give God pleasure. The entirety of why we are on earth is for the will and purpose of God and nothing else. When our lives are not in accordance with that truth, all we get to experience is pain, misery, and a lot of regret. At some point it might look like we are enjoying our freedom away from God but, in reality, we are only in bondage and not making any significant headway.
God alone sees the big picture. He is the only One that knows and understands the grand scheme of things. We will get to fulfill His purposes if we allow Him to take control and move only at His directive. There is rest, peace, and joy that comes from total obedience and trust in God.
His ways are not for our punishment or restrictions, like the devil and the world would make us believe, but for our good to keep us out of harm. They ensure we live a godly life here on earth and spend eternity with Him.
In today’s text we see Abraham, the receiver of a great and powerful promise that was going to change the lives of billions of people, step out of God’s original plan. The end result was pain, chaos, and a lot of regret. God doesn’t want that for you and I. His desire is that we allow Him to take full control over our lives, for He alone knows the big picture and He alone has the ability to take us to our destination. This reminds me of Jeremiah 29:11. Take a moment to read that passage and soak in the pure love written in that verse.
A life of faith, beloved, is what God is after. He is delighted with a woman who lives everyday with the sole purpose to give Him glory, a woman who has determined in her heart daily to trust God even when she does not understand. You and I are not perfect – we cannot be. That’s why God sent Jesus to die for us so we can now be in right standing with Him, allowing Him to live through us. That is why He sent us the Holy Spirit who enables us daily to live and trust Him.
I know that life has taught a lot of us not to trust people. And, sadly, we have applied that same reaction to God. I know I have. But every time I trusted God, I received fulfillment and life and a lot of burdens were taken off my shoulders. Every time I asked the Holy Spirit to lead me to make the right decision, to help me trust God, to deliver me from myself, to help me not to rely on my own understanding, I have never regretted it.
God never leads into darkness!
He knows what is best for us. He is a better judge of everything. We must trust Him completely in every choice we make. He has given us our will but we should always make sure that it aligns with His will. We must be willing to listen to the Holy Spirit (our Helper), the Word of God, and wise counselors.
Bring your decisions to God in prayer, use the Bible as your guide, and follow God’s lead. He is a merciful and kind God who is always there to help and pick you up if you fail. Seek to always rely on Him.
Prayer: I will trust in the Lord with all my heart, I will not rely on my own understanding, in all my ways I will seek His will. So help me God. Amen.
Week 2 Challenge:
This week, record aspects of God’s character that are revealed in your reading. Are there new or unfamiliar character traits of God’s that you would like to better understand? Ask God to grow your understanding of His character. Do some extra study this week on an aspect of God’s character that is new or unfamiliar to you.
Week 2 Reading Plan
Week 2 Memory Verse
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