“A mans heart plans his ways but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
I was listening to Graham Cooke this morning and something hit me with one of his statements. He said, “There is no security in what God is doing, there is only security in who God is.” That statement hit me because at first it sounded a little blasphemous, but then I looked into the meaning. Is God predictable?
God is the most predictable because of His Word but He is also the most unpredictable because we never know what He is doing; making Him a paradox. As soon as we think we figure God out, He throws a curve ball at us.
I see it as a blessing from the Lord to provide for my family, I see it as a test of my pride, and I see it as a place of preparation. There is a part of me that wants to rise up and say that I am better than this, I should be out in the world preaching the gospel, and I should be leading the charge in my generation. Again I see that God and the devil have one thing in common, they both want us dead.
God wants to kill the pride that in my own strength I can actually make a difference. Chad as a son of the living God can make a difference because I am submitted to the will of Christ. Chad as an individual cannot do a thing. I am seeing how much pride I do have within me. Asking God for humility is a crazy prayer, one again that I have prayed.
So why did that statement above hit me so hard? When I think that I have control of my life I see that I never had a clue. Living in the will of God can sometimes be the most un-secure place in the whole world. Look at Gideon, he had over 30,000 troops and he was out numbered 4 to 1. God knew that if they beat the apposing army that the pride that was within them might rise up and show them that they were in control. So what did God do, he stripped them down to 300 men vs. 120,000 and He defeated the army.
So what does this mean to me? I rest and pray that I learn the lessons that are before me with joy. My pride wants to strike back but I know God is killing the pride within me. There are billions that need to hear about the saving grace of Jesus but if it is done out of His protection and blessing, it is being done out of my own will and not His. I choose joy and praise God that He continually showers me with His blessings and direction. God really is in control.
