•Friday, August 13, 2010
"The Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him." Isaiah 30:18 NIV
I think there's probably a twelve-step program to accomplish any goal you desire: getting rich, finding a spouse, starting a successful business, losing weight, healing from a painful past, or recovering from an addiction. And that's not all bad.
But often we get into trouble because we feel an overwhelming need to control and direct our lives in order to bring about the fulfillment of our heart's desires. The obvious flaw with this approach is that it excludes God from the picture.
Do we really believe that the plans we've made for our lives are better than the plans God has for us? What if his plans are so amazing that our minds can't even fathom them--and we miss out because we didn't believe God would be gracious to us? One poor decision can have far reaching consequences.
When we genuinely believe that God desires to bless us, it changes everything. When we trust him with every aspect of our lives, it gives us the strength and patience to wait to see how God is going to work out the details. It empowers us to live obediently and faithfully, even as the years stretch out and the difficult times come.
Sometimes it's the waiting itself that is the greatest struggle. But don't lose heart: God longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion! And if you wait for his plans to be worked out, you will know great blessing. Don't try to take control: pray, be obedient, and wait.
I think there's probably a twelve-step program to accomplish any goal you desire: getting rich, finding a spouse, starting a successful business, losing weight, healing from a painful past, or recovering from an addiction. And that's not all bad.
But often we get into trouble because we feel an overwhelming need to control and direct our lives in order to bring about the fulfillment of our heart's desires. The obvious flaw with this approach is that it excludes God from the picture.
Do we really believe that the plans we've made for our lives are better than the plans God has for us? What if his plans are so amazing that our minds can't even fathom them--and we miss out because we didn't believe God would be gracious to us? One poor decision can have far reaching consequences.
When we genuinely believe that God desires to bless us, it changes everything. When we trust him with every aspect of our lives, it gives us the strength and patience to wait to see how God is going to work out the details. It empowers us to live obediently and faithfully, even as the years stretch out and the difficult times come.
Sometimes it's the waiting itself that is the greatest struggle. But don't lose heart: God longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion! And if you wait for his plans to be worked out, you will know great blessing. Don't try to take control: pray, be obedient, and wait.
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