Day 23 - What Happens When I Don't

When we don’t get what we want,
         We can’t expect God, the creator of the universe & mankind, to just hand us everything on a silver platter, it doesn’t quite work that way. If it did everyone in the entire world would be very spoiled and wouldn’t know the difference between good and evil. God loves us as His children, and He wants to give to us “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4, but first He wants to teach us right from wrong so that in doing so we can attain holiness, which is the ultimate goal as Christians.
Smooth sailing into stormy seas…
         Picture this, you really want to go sailing however you already checked the weather and there is a 90% chance of rain, disregarding the report you look outside and see sunny skies. You make the decision to go out in the waters. A while later you see this one gray cloud, you ignore it because you’re enjoying the day so much. Now the winds start to pick up and it starts to get cloudier and cloudier, still you choose to be out because “it’s not that bad”. Finally, the seas get rough, the wind is blowing you the opposite direction, rain and thunder surround you and despite your best efforts it becomes nearly impossible to see or get to where you’re going.
 God is our forecast and we must choose to submit to His authority, even when it doesn’t make sense, even when we think we know best. He sees all things and looks out for us and wants the absolute best for us because he has: “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). No matter how much you have in your bank account, give God 10%. No matter how much you think your marriage is failing you, trust in God to see you through. No matter how much time you think you don’t have, find some and spend it in the word, prayer, in church and small groups. If you’re not moving forward, you’re pressing back.
Rewind <<<
When you disregard Gods’ authority you’re setting yourself up for failure, whether you see it today, tomorrow, next month or even next year. “For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths. The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him, and he is held fast in the cords of his sin. He dies for lack of discipline, and because of his great folly he is led astray.” (Proverbs 5:21) Ultimately, it’s our decisions that can lead us astray, to the point where it becomes very difficult to turn back. Let’s rewind and have God take the lead, let’s listen to what he wants us to do and let’s submit to that still, small voice.
Take time today to…
Reflect on past decisions, good or bad.
Ask in your small group or a trusted believer/leader about any disobedience they see in your life that you might not see in yourself.
Ask God to become the center of your life so you can submit to His authority.