“Since you have been raised to a new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:1-3 9 (New Living Translation)
Did you know that your heavenly Father has taken the “quess” work out of our lives? In other words, if you are a Christian you do not have to go through life “wondering” what your day-to-day or even your future is supposed to be like. God has mapped out a plan just for you. It’s like going on a road trip and generally speaking our plans will more than likely include a “map” and while on our adventurous journey we put our trust in that map to lead us in the right direction which then helps to “guide” us to our final destination. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not depend on your own understanding. Seek HIS will in ALL you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom (the way YOU think your life should be) Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones…” Proverbs 3: 5-8 NLT
As you can see here the Lord is not saying that you cannot “think” for yourself. He is merely clarifying that while we’re making life long plans he is encouraging us to remember to “Seek HIS will in ALL (we) set out to do”. Another scripture that comes to mind is found in Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” That’s not to mean that we cannot “know” his thoughts or his ways when it comes to our life. In fact the word of God says, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding of what the will of the Lord is” Ephesians 5:17 King James Version. God has given us the ability to have wisdom and understand what he has planned for us.
Have NO FEAR! Your Creator knows everything about you and he knows “exactly” what his plans for your life are, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a FUTURE and a hope. In those days when YOU PRAY I will LISTEN. IF you look for me wholeheartedly, you WILL find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord” Jeremiah 29:11-14 NLT
So how is it that we can really “know” God’s direction and plan for our lives? Great question! In my 30 plus years of being a Christian, a follower of Jesus and pastor for nearly 10 years is to do exactly what the word of God instructs us to do and that is:
ASK “and you shall receive”
SEEK “and you shall find”
KNOCK ” and the door shall be opened…” “For EVERYONE who asks receives, to him who seeks finds, and to him (she) who knocks the door shall be opened” Mathew 7:7 and Luke 11:9 teachings of Jesus.
When you understand that God has created you and has mapped out a plan for your life, you no longer have to worry about today or the future. You can know that you are in HIS hands. After all just as his word says he “formed” you while you were in your mothers womb (Isaiah 44:2) and that we belong to him…He sent Jesus to bring us back into the same kind of relationship Adam and Eve experienced before the fall in the garden. He also promises that we will not “slip” when we seek him with our whole life and trust that he has the best plan for our lives….far better than what we could plan for ourselves. Remember to trust in the Lord in “ALL” you do and be comforted that we belong to him. “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you (the believer, the Christian) and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price (Jesus death and resurrection) so you must honor God with your body (and your life).” 1Corinthians 6:19-20 “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (his way) and ALL these things shall be added (given) to you” Mathew 6:33
Excellent post, I loved what you said and gave you a pingback as well. God bless you in your endeavors in ministry, Teresa
Thank you Teresa, may the Lord continue to Bless you as well.
Nina Tidwell
Ponce Church, Ponce Inlet, FL
poncechurch.com
I agree. That leads to a kind of fatalism, when semitemos we’re supposed to keep knocking, look for a window, or even break down the closed doors. It can also be an excuse. Gravity, entropy, ongoing unseen opposition sigh. I’m beginnning to see that once I accept the fact that resistance is something I’ll wake up to, and go to sleep to, every day in the spiritual as well as the natural, it helps me to approach life more wisely, creatively and hopefully more proactively. What about you?