I was recently inspired by the book Trusting God by Jerry Bridges, specifically the Trusting God For Who You Are chapter. This blog post is basically copied directly from what I journaled while reading this chapter. I hope you can relate to it and find truth in it.
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3God leads me.
He guides our lives and He guides us according to his sovereign will. He is faithful & takes initiative in leading us.
I remember around my high school graduation and into my first couple years of college feeling so lost. I was obsessed with this idea of “finding God’s will for my life.” So much time and many tears were shed feeling helpless and confused…so many people around me had such a clear picture of the direction their lives were going (at least that what it seemed) and I felt directionless. I put so much responsibility on myself thinking that I needed to find what God is calling me to do. It’s like “God’s will” was this prize and if I just wanted it bad enough or looked in the right place that I would win the prize and know what God wanted me to do.
Ha.
God doesn’t work like that. Well, He certainly CAN, but not in my case.
As much as I wanted God to show me what I was supposed to do with my life, I still wanted a grasp on it..you know, nothing too crazy God, I’m just lil ol Alison. Looking back, I can see that He was waiting for me to hand that over to Him and trust him to lead me. He is my Good Shepherd and wanted me to surrender that idea and that control over to Him
Yes, I believe, we have a responsibility to make wise decisions, but God’s plan for us is bigger than a wrong/bad decision. His plan includes our foolish decisions as well as our wise ones. He uses any situation for His glory and our good, how comforting.
God has given us each different gifts and abilities and has placed us in the body of Christ according to His will.
He put you & I where we are right this second. Whether you are in a season of waiting, a season of mourning, a season of joy, a season of mundane or a season of confusion, God has ordained that and meets you there. He doesn’t leave you to weather the storm by yourself, He wants to walk you through it, if you’ll trust Him. This idea should give meaning to each and every day. If we are bored in life it might be time to consider that there is something wrong with our concept of God and his involvement in our daily lives.
When I surrendered control of my life and started letting God guide my decisions I saw doors open, and opportunities rise that have led me to where I am now. I literally would not be going on the World Race if God hadn’t been faithfully present each and every day. There are many pictures of this through the Bible as well. For example, in Acts 16, Paul and his companions were moving in their missionary journey but two times they were stopped by the Holy Spirit and as a result of Paul’s vision they concluded that they were being called elsewhere and they listened. They allowed the Spirit to move in their lives and lead them.
God does guide us.
He doesn’t play games.
In HIS time an HIS way He will lead us in His path for us.
How precious to me are your thoughts O God! How vast is the sum of them! Psalm 139:7
I hope this is encouraging and challenging to you. It has been to me.
God is guiding all the details of life
Jesus, lead us all the way.
