Have you ever had a story that just followed you around for years. One that when mentioned makes everyone fall into hysterical laughter. My family is so kind to me and relentlessly reminds me of a particular incident in our family. We purchased a mini-van, yes I am a mom, I said mini-van, that had a back up camera. My kids were continuously asking why I didn't just use the back-up camera. I chided, I have been backing up for 20+ years turning my own head and using my own eyes. I do not need a camera to do it for me!" Isabella snickered, "well I mean you can see everything on both sides." I smugly countered, "I am just fine on my own." Then one morning while it was still dark, rushing for work, I threw my car in reverse and heard a loud crash. To my horror, I shattered the back windshield of my van in lets just call it an "accident". (no sense in providing details that would make you laugh your booty off) So guess what survived the "accident" oh yeah that is right, the backup camera. The wind shield had to be specially ordered, so I had to tape a bag over the window. I was forced to use the backup camera, which I will now humbly admit sees twice as much as I do. In life you cruise through depending largely on yourself. You may not actually say the words, but you sure think them, or demonstrate them- "I got this God." The thought of the flesh is to be completely self sufficient needing no one but yourself, when God is longing for you to just need Him. Then it happens the circumstance you cannot handle, the problem you cannot figure out, the question you don't have an answer to, and then what? These circumstances are sometimes the only thing that make you turn your eyes upward to the one with the plan. In life, there will come a time when you are not enough, when your friends are not enough, and maybe the one you thought was enough is gone. Although you may say many religious quotes or verses, its fluff at times, or what you feel is the appropriate answer. In your heart of hearts, in your soul, you are not really living it out in your actions. How do I know this? I see it in myself all the time. In my prayer time I may be asking God to help with a situation, but before I can even get up I am are trying to manipulate circumstances, or play my cards just right so this or that will happen.
God doesn't want you to live in the shallow little quotes on Facebook, or Instagram, but wants you to dive in the deep with Him. He wants you to get out so deep that you cannot even keep your head above water without Him. Circumstances will eventually happen in your life and you will think to yourself, I didn't have a clue before now. It reminds me of the verse in Job 42:5 "My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you." You can look at something all day, but not really see it at all. But then one day, the truth will nearly smack you in the face because you really see it as God does!
God will chisel and prune your life in any way necessary in order to bring you into a closer relationship with Him. However, the choice will always be yours. Will you allow the things you experience to drive you deeper into the arms of the Lord, or will we try to deny all you know to be true and run?
He wants you to trust Him with everything, not just some things!
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 4:23-27
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
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