Thursday, February 6, 2014

Me or God?



Concatenation.
A few Sundays ago a friend asked me about a new program at our church. I knew nothing about it.
Although her question was tinged with a bit of frustration, it was appropriate. And I too was irritated, not by the question, but that it even needed to be asked. Why didn’t we know about this program?

No problem. I knew the people to ask, the necessary connections to make. I knew how to please God. I could get the answer.

Irritation and peace—they are not bed-fellows. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives…” John 14:27 (italics mine). And therein was the problem. My clear-to-me solution was following the path of the world. Just get the answer. I knew enough to give this issue a bit of time.

Two days later in the midst of doing errands ruminating over her question and my plan, the Lord brought to mind Romans 4:20 and 21, “No distrust “made him waver concerning the promise of God…” (italics mine). I thought about God’s promises for her, those generic and specific-at-the-same-time words. God promised a good plan for her. God promised that He adopted her for His purpose. No distrust…

That left me with a question: was I going to trust those promises, those words from God? Or was I going to push ahead with my own plan?

My plan, the do-er, pleaser plan was taking the easier path of control. The way of trust is often the more difficult way.

There was a big part of me that wanted to do my plan, to quickly bring closure. But what was I going to do with that niggling lack of peace?

The do-er pleaser part of me was also a selfish part. I wanted to take control, to receive the credit. YUCK!

In the end, the peace that comes from trust won.  Ahhhh, I could breathe again.

Concatenation

Lately I’d been pondering the difference between pleasing God and trusting God. And as God so often does he linked together life-experience with spiritual truth.

“And without faith (trust), it is impossible to please him…”                                                                     Hebrews 11:6

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