Are circumstances crushing in on you right now? Maybe what once worked, no longer does and you feel lost? Maybe all your efforts have failed and you are discouraged. Perhaps, the events in life have caused you to ditch all self-effort and fall helplessly at the feet of God looking for the help you need. What might look like a curse, may just be a blessing. When we realize that God, not us, controls the circumstances in our lives and that we really do need His help, we are in the right place with the right mindset and attitude of the heart.
In her book, Lead Me Holy Spirit, Stormie Omartian says “ God wants you to separate yourself from anything that separates you from Him and all He has for you.” She goes on to quote Deuteronomy 10:16 and further challenges her readers with what it means to circumcise our hearts and not be stiff-necked people. “For us, that means He wants to cut away anything from our heart that makes it distant from Him.”
But what are the things in our lives that make us distant from God?
That will take time and stillness to discern. We need to sit with God and listen to what He has to say about how we live our lives.
In Lead Me Holy Spirit, Stormie goes on to point out that it’s not just blatant sin in our lives that pull us away from God. She brings to attention the subtle things that hinder our walk with God “such as busyness; obsessing over our work to the exclusion of all else; or allowing other people, the Internet, or television to occupy all of our time. Ask the Lord to show you where things in your life are competing with Him for your attention.”
There are things God means for us to do. Even before we were born, God knew our days and the plans He has for our lives. We do have a choice in all this and I pray we chose wisely. God’s way, not our way. But we all mess up and make poor choices. We are human and naturally selfish. Thankfully, God is able to work for good- in all things, even when we make unwise choices. If we repent and turn to Him, He will redeem the bad stuff for His glory and our good. God is telling the story of redemption through our stories. He is showing the world who He is and great His love is for all who turn to Him in dependence and believe in His word. Even in our messes, there is good. God is a miracle-working God, full of grace and compassion for all who look to Him for help.
For just a moment let’s look at Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” God’s call on Jeremiah’s life was there even before he took his first breath. God created him for a purpose.
Jeremiah 1: 7-8, “But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to say whatever I command. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.”
God promised to BE with Jeremiah. That doesn’t mean the assignment would be easy and that he would not face opposition. Because it was hard and he was opposed – just as we are in this life – but God had promised His presence. God encouraged Jeremiah to stand strong against opposition and to not be fearful of people.
As I read this passage this week I felt God speaking to my heart. God has called us to live for Him and do what He says. That means that we are going to face opposition and circumstances that overwhelm us at times. But if we know we are walking in obedience to God’s call on our lives, we can be assured of His presence, help, and security. We are not promised easy. That is not God’s way because He grows us and matures us in our faith through circumstances that only God can deliver us from. Our goal is not comfort and everything working out the way we wanted. Not at all. Our goal is obedience to God. Doing what He tells us to do and trusting the outcome to Him. Even when it makes NO sense and we experience hurt. Eternally God is working for His glory – we just need to trust that whatever comes is from the Father’s hand. Then do what He says. He is always good and present!
In closing out these thoughts today God linked my passage in Jeremiah with Luke 5. This is what I believe God was showing me. Jeremiah’s success came from God’s presence in his life. It didn’t always look like worldly success, but he was faithful in doing what God gave him to do. He was successful at accomplishing the mission God gave him because of God’s power and spirit that equipped him and protected him.
Now to link all that to what the Lord was showing me in Luke 5: 4-6. In this passage, the disciples had fished all night but caught nothing. Then Jesus shows up and says, “Put out in the deep water.” Simon replies, “ Master we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything…” Even though it made no sense, they did what Jesus said to do – which was what they had been doing themselves all night. But this time they did it with Jesus present. They had his instructions, life, and power with them! What different results they got! Verse 6 states, “When they had done so, they caught a large number of fish….” The boat began to sink because of the number of fish they caught. Their work resulted in abundance.
What a difference Jesus makes when we do what He says and trust the outcome to Him. What had been fruitless work became abundantly fruitful. Our success in what we do comes from God’s presence and power in our lives – not from our self-efforts.
When we abandon ourselves to do what God says – with complete devotion, we can trust the outcome to God. He can do what we cannot do! He gets results we can’t.
Lord, each day you give us work to do. Whatever it is that lies before me today – I look to you for the help I need. Apart from you, I can do nothing. Father, give me the wisdom to know what matters most today so that I am not distracted by worthless things of this world that take me away from the things that matter eternally and my relationship with you. Jesus, help me discern the things I am called to do so that I am not wasting my time and energy on the wrong things. Help me to stand strong and believe You at your Word. I choose to follow you God over this world. Fill me with your life, power, and love as I go and do what you have given me to do today. May I see you do more than I can imagine or ask, as I believe and obey. All to Jesus I surrender today!
Full of Hope,
Monica
New Mercies Everyday 