My cousin Michael brought an amazing message on Sunday based around Proverbs 3:5-6.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do & He will show you which path to take. ”
He spoke so eloquently about allowing God to direct and appoint our steps, and why we cannot depend on ourselves to make sound decisions regarding our spiritually (or most things, honestly). He spoke about our minds being susceptible to enemy invasion, and how our thought life is the most challenging for us as believers- or humans in general.
I'm in the process of creating a vision board for the coming year. My vision board contains things I aspire to have, do, and be, inspirational quotes, & bits and bobs that will motivate me. I've hand written scripture, cut images and words out of magazines, and decorated it so that it's aesthetically appealing, although I feel it would be anyways- because, come on- it's all the things I want.
It got me to thinking- your focus really is everything. Where your focus is, is what is most evident.
On the positive side, you can be incredibly productive and effective in the Kingdom of God with the right focus. You can have a God centered- God approved plan and be right in the center of God's will.
On the negative side, you can be ineffective or even detrimental to the Kingdom if you have the wrong focus.
One small thought can overwhelm and cripple if dwelled on too long. Similarly, I am nearsided- I only see what is immediate to my situation or plan and I likely have no foresight. This led me to question how I can be trusted with things regarding my spirituality. I mean, come on- "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, & desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" - Jeremiah 17:9. Looking at the negative standpoint from a different aspect- If I decide to be self serving in my Kingdom work, I'm not truly showing the Light of Christ, but my own selfish ambition.
We are so quick to make plans- and then head out after them without even considering what God thinks/feels about it. I'm incredibly guilty of this. I have a seemingly great idea and just hop to it without giving any thought to God's feeling on the matter. As I sit and type this now I'm saddened to think of how often I neglect to consult my most important relationship concerning my plans, ideas, and goals. YIKES.
By all means, chase your dreams - and chase them hard, but don't forget to consider God's plan before and throughout your striving. Evaluate and reevaluate your motivation, refocus your mind and heart, and recenter yourself to God's will.
Then surrender. God will give you the true desire of your heart in accordance to his will, plan, and your best interest. After all, He is the one that give life- to you and your plans.
“Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own, it is not for them to direct their steps.”
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. ”
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
“The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?”
If we trust God, don't depend on our nearsided and limited understanding, and seek His will- He will guide us, step by step, instruction by instruction.
But of course, as always, you get to choose.