Fighting with God (updated)
You ever do that? Decide that you know best and go your own way instead of follow that little voice inside you that's kind of telling you you're making some really bad choices? I know I have. Today's blog is going to be about that, and I'm going to tell a little story about Jonah from the Bible to make my point.
Jonah is a pretty well-known character. He ran from God's will and wound up in the belly of a big fish for three days to think things over. Last Saturday, in my Our Daily Bread devotional book, there was a devotional about God shaking things up so we could get rid of the unproductive things in our lives instead of stubbornly hanging on to them and the accompanying verse is from Jonah, Chapter 1.
I had to wonder to myself if there wasn't something I was stubbornly holding on to. I really took a look at this and through the weekend, even into last evening, I don't think I am. I've had my opportunities to walk it alone, to go down my own path, and when I do, the Lord lets me know about it, usually quite quickly, and most severely. I'm where He wants me to be. Left to my own devices, I'd be someplace else.
I had a long talk with the wife yesterday about some of this and I told her I'd really think about the things she said to me. Without getting into specifics, I did. Something came in the mail yesterday that really made one of the choices I made kind of stand out. A choice was given to me. I asked her what she wanted and she told me the choice was mine to make. I made it. I'm not sorry I did but wonder what the ramifications would have been to her if I'd made a different choice. What would have been the cost if I'd made different choices? What would have been the impact if I'd chosen not to follow God and gone my own way?
I mentioned the other day that living this life I do is the hardest thing I've ever done. I think that statement deserves some further clarification. It's hard because of the choices I made when I believed the lies that Satan permeates through our culture. I could simplify my life very easily. I could say to myself, OK, God forgave my sins through the shed blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ and I promise not to do them anymore but I have to go back on Your word, just this once, so I can have a convenient life.
Wanna know what keeps me from doing that? Because Christ shed His precious blood to DIE for my sins. It's His very blood, shed on the cross, for the forgiveness for that sinful life I led that keeps me uncomfortable.
I made that choice to give my life to Christ. It's His. I follow. After much thought, I'm certain that for once, and albeit possibly too late, I'm trying to do the right things instead of the easy things. That I am is validated for me almost daily.
I don't fight God anymore. I'm not going to win.
Conversely, how many of you have already learned that lesson and have to sit on your hands while you see someone else headed off to their own battle with the Almighty? It's painful to watch if you've lived through this. You do your best to stop that person, to warn them, to pray for them, and off they go. Some can learn from others. Some are blessed with the gift to hear and accept the Good News at a young age and they believe. Then there are those like me, who have to get into that battle with the Lord.
Don't fight God. Pray and ask Him to show you His will and just go with it. It's the best advice you'll get all day.
I wrote this post before I picked up my little devotional book. In it, today's devotion talked about Psalm 107. Rather than read the suggested verses, I chose to read the whole thing. I think there are some good illustrations that kind of are in line with what today's post was about.
Jonah is a pretty well-known character. He ran from God's will and wound up in the belly of a big fish for three days to think things over. Last Saturday, in my Our Daily Bread devotional book, there was a devotional about God shaking things up so we could get rid of the unproductive things in our lives instead of stubbornly hanging on to them and the accompanying verse is from Jonah, Chapter 1.
I had to wonder to myself if there wasn't something I was stubbornly holding on to. I really took a look at this and through the weekend, even into last evening, I don't think I am. I've had my opportunities to walk it alone, to go down my own path, and when I do, the Lord lets me know about it, usually quite quickly, and most severely. I'm where He wants me to be. Left to my own devices, I'd be someplace else.
I had a long talk with the wife yesterday about some of this and I told her I'd really think about the things she said to me. Without getting into specifics, I did. Something came in the mail yesterday that really made one of the choices I made kind of stand out. A choice was given to me. I asked her what she wanted and she told me the choice was mine to make. I made it. I'm not sorry I did but wonder what the ramifications would have been to her if I'd made a different choice. What would have been the cost if I'd made different choices? What would have been the impact if I'd chosen not to follow God and gone my own way?
I mentioned the other day that living this life I do is the hardest thing I've ever done. I think that statement deserves some further clarification. It's hard because of the choices I made when I believed the lies that Satan permeates through our culture. I could simplify my life very easily. I could say to myself, OK, God forgave my sins through the shed blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ and I promise not to do them anymore but I have to go back on Your word, just this once, so I can have a convenient life.
Wanna know what keeps me from doing that? Because Christ shed His precious blood to DIE for my sins. It's His very blood, shed on the cross, for the forgiveness for that sinful life I led that keeps me uncomfortable.
I made that choice to give my life to Christ. It's His. I follow. After much thought, I'm certain that for once, and albeit possibly too late, I'm trying to do the right things instead of the easy things. That I am is validated for me almost daily.
I don't fight God anymore. I'm not going to win.
Conversely, how many of you have already learned that lesson and have to sit on your hands while you see someone else headed off to their own battle with the Almighty? It's painful to watch if you've lived through this. You do your best to stop that person, to warn them, to pray for them, and off they go. Some can learn from others. Some are blessed with the gift to hear and accept the Good News at a young age and they believe. Then there are those like me, who have to get into that battle with the Lord.
Don't fight God. Pray and ask Him to show you His will and just go with it. It's the best advice you'll get all day.
I wrote this post before I picked up my little devotional book. In it, today's devotion talked about Psalm 107. Rather than read the suggested verses, I chose to read the whole thing. I think there are some good illustrations that kind of are in line with what today's post was about.
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