Part Two
Today I would like to continue to share some of the things God has been teaching me as of late. It's amazing how much you learn when you make an effort to resume daily devotions! On a side note, having morning devotions really makes a huge difference in your day; I didn't really believe this until I tried it for myself. I'm just glad to have a roommate who challenged me to start up daily devotions again. Anyways, what I wanted to write about today is choices.
Once again, many of these ideas are taken from the book "Chasing Daylight". We all want to know what God's plan is for us in regards to our future; uncertainty is never pleasant. As a result, many of us simply sit around waiting for God to illuminate a clear and marked out path; in waiting around for an answer, we often become rather unproductive workers in the kingdom. Many times, it is not the case of God not clearly laying out his complete plans for us, but of us simply needing to make a choice. The Bible clearly outlines how one ought to live; if a person constantly chooses the good over evil, they will be moving down the path that God has chosen for them. McManus describes this situation when he writes:
"On of the most-asked questions among sincere followers of Jesus Christ is, 'What is God's will for my life?' We want a detailed map or plan. We want God to spell it out so we can follow the instructions. Too often we want it clear and uncomplicated, but God simply does not work like that. For a lot of us the most spiritual thing we can do is to do something - to turn right when we want to turn left. So we must move beyond simply choosing between right and wrong. We must resolve not only to leave the path of doing evil, but also to passionately pursue a life of doing good. The danger is getting stuck in between the two, living your life in the neutral zone. No real evil to speak about, but no great good to be proud of either. This takes us beyond having nothing to be ashamed of to being ashamed if we do nothing. It is rarely counted as evil when we live in neutral."
I think that sometimes we simply claim to be waiting for God to show us the path as an excuse not to go out and do something. For example, a person may decline helping a homeless person using the excuse that they didn't feel God called them specifically to the task. If there is a good work to be done, it will never be contrary to the character of God to accomplish the task, provided it is done with proper motives. Uncertainty is not an excuse to do nothing.
Another obstacle that prevents people from truly embarking down the path God has chosen for them is a fear of trusting their passions. McManus addresses this issue when he writes:
"With the depth of godly character comes an intensity of godly passion...For some strange reason many sincere followers of Christ have come to think that their passions are always in conflict with God's purpose. Yet the psalmist said, 'Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart: (Ps. 37:4). When you draw near to God, God infuses passion. God works through human desires."
Basically, if you are truly and whole-heartedly seeking after God, it is safe to trust your passions and desires, as they will be in line with the heart of God. These are lessons that I have been learning this year. My future still remains unclear but I took the first step of coming to Bible school this year, and know without a doubt that this is right where I am supposed to be. I also believe that I am supposed to return here next year, and eventually graduate with my degree. It has brought me that much closer to fulfilling God's plan for my life. I would never have come to this realization had I not made the choice to come to school here this year. I believe that the more we choose the good, the more God will reveal Himself and His purposes to us. This may have been a rather long blog, but I've also been learning a lot lately.
Once again, many of these ideas are taken from the book "Chasing Daylight". We all want to know what God's plan is for us in regards to our future; uncertainty is never pleasant. As a result, many of us simply sit around waiting for God to illuminate a clear and marked out path; in waiting around for an answer, we often become rather unproductive workers in the kingdom. Many times, it is not the case of God not clearly laying out his complete plans for us, but of us simply needing to make a choice. The Bible clearly outlines how one ought to live; if a person constantly chooses the good over evil, they will be moving down the path that God has chosen for them. McManus describes this situation when he writes:
"On of the most-asked questions among sincere followers of Jesus Christ is, 'What is God's will for my life?' We want a detailed map or plan. We want God to spell it out so we can follow the instructions. Too often we want it clear and uncomplicated, but God simply does not work like that. For a lot of us the most spiritual thing we can do is to do something - to turn right when we want to turn left. So we must move beyond simply choosing between right and wrong. We must resolve not only to leave the path of doing evil, but also to passionately pursue a life of doing good. The danger is getting stuck in between the two, living your life in the neutral zone. No real evil to speak about, but no great good to be proud of either. This takes us beyond having nothing to be ashamed of to being ashamed if we do nothing. It is rarely counted as evil when we live in neutral."
I think that sometimes we simply claim to be waiting for God to show us the path as an excuse not to go out and do something. For example, a person may decline helping a homeless person using the excuse that they didn't feel God called them specifically to the task. If there is a good work to be done, it will never be contrary to the character of God to accomplish the task, provided it is done with proper motives. Uncertainty is not an excuse to do nothing.
Another obstacle that prevents people from truly embarking down the path God has chosen for them is a fear of trusting their passions. McManus addresses this issue when he writes:
"With the depth of godly character comes an intensity of godly passion...For some strange reason many sincere followers of Christ have come to think that their passions are always in conflict with God's purpose. Yet the psalmist said, 'Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart: (Ps. 37:4). When you draw near to God, God infuses passion. God works through human desires."
Basically, if you are truly and whole-heartedly seeking after God, it is safe to trust your passions and desires, as they will be in line with the heart of God. These are lessons that I have been learning this year. My future still remains unclear but I took the first step of coming to Bible school this year, and know without a doubt that this is right where I am supposed to be. I also believe that I am supposed to return here next year, and eventually graduate with my degree. It has brought me that much closer to fulfilling God's plan for my life. I would never have come to this realization had I not made the choice to come to school here this year. I believe that the more we choose the good, the more God will reveal Himself and His purposes to us. This may have been a rather long blog, but I've also been learning a lot lately.
posted by Bassmaster Fehr @ 12:42 a.m.
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