Friday, June 10, 2016

If You Think You Are In Control Of Your Life - You Are Deceiving Yourself

My Utmost For His Highest
 
…seek, and you will find… —Luke 11:9
 
“Seek if you have not found. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss…” (James 4:3). If you ask for things from life instead of from God, “you ask amiss”; that is, you ask out of your desire for self-fulfillment. The more you fulfill yourself the less you will seek God. “…seek, and you will find….” Get to work— narrow your focus and interests to this one thing. Have you ever sought God with your whole heart, or have you simply given Him a feeble cry after some emotionally painful experience? “…seek, [focus,] and you will find….”[…] Have you ever lamented, expressing your sorrow before God for the condition of your inner life? There is no thread of self-pity left, only the heart-rending difficulty and amazement which comes from seeing what kind of person you really are. “Humble yourselves…” (James 4:10). It is a humbling experience to knock at God’s door— you have to knock with the crucified thief. “…to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11:10).” CHAMBERS
 
What is holding you back from total surrender to God? Fear? Are you anxious at the thought of not being in control of your life?  Let me ask you, do you really think you are in control? Really?  Oh, people try.   Some are frantic about having control or not losing control or at the thought of giving up control.  The truth is that we are but a leaf in the wind.  We cannot control our what goes on around us anymore than we can stop the sun from rising in the morning. Well actually you know that the earth is rotating and the sun is stationary.  But, there is the illusion of the sun rising … and there is also the illusion that you are in control.  Let me tell you what your trying to control your life leads to, sin. In your attempt to, you will make choices, sometimes irrevocable choices.  Choices that harm you and perhaps others.   When I try to control my life, the focus is on me.  What I want.  What I think is right.  What I think is best.  It’s a miserable life, actually.  I go to this verse so often, but it is the bedrock for right living.  (Proverbs 3:5,6)  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t depend on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct your life” (my paraphrase)  I am certain that you are familiar with the word Shalom.  It means more than peace, it means “Completeness, wholeness, health, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.” Jesus said in  John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”  Put in another way, stop trying to control your life and look to Jesus, the source of Shalom. Doing that requires faith and trust, but our God is faithful and trustworthy. Please stop trying to control the uncontrollable and look to the One who is in control of everything.  CHARLEY

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