Too Hard For God?

Have you ever been in the place where the thing you needed most from the Lord just isn’t happening? You pray until you feel like you can’t pray any more. You search your heart as diligently and as honestly as you know how to for some type of sin that might be the reason your answer hasn’t come.

In the collective mental accumulation of fear, doubt, wonder, discouragement, and yes, even faith, the thought crosses your mind that maybe, just maybe, this is too hard for God. You immediately reject that thought because you know deep down that nothing is too hard for God.

Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27

Still, because the answer hasn’t come, you wonder. You can’t help but wonder because you’re human and that’s what humans do when things aren’t working out. You wonder about a lot of things. You wonder about a certain promise from the book of Romans.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

Those two words, “all things”, surely couldn’t mean all things, could they? To believe that would mean there must be a purpose in the waiting. To accept those words would mean that the Almighty, whose thoughts and ways are higher than our own, knows something we do not.

Somewhere in the fog of hurt and disappointment, that which you have prayed so earnestly for has reached God’s throne. He has heard you. He feels what you feel, and I believe He would have you to know that delay does not equal rejection. God’s timing is perfect. It has been perfect since the beginning.

No situation is too hard for God. If it were, God could not claim to be God, for it would mean that there are limits to what He can do. I have found Him to be faithful, without limits, able to meet my every need, and so have you.

Lord, teach us patience. Teach us to hold on to every promise found in your Word. Help us when we doubt or when our faith isn’t as strong as it could be. Be that very present help in the time of trouble. Hide us under your wings O God, and grant us shelter from the enemy that would seek to devour us. We are your children, and You are our Rock, the Strong Tower that the righteous run to.

Have a blessed day,

Ron

Fiery Deliverance

There are literally dozens of uses for fire. Humans use fire in agriculture, for cooking and heating in their homes, and in many industrial applications. God also uses fire, albeit a different kind of fire, when dealing with His children. The fire that God uses is a cleansing, or purifying fire. He uses the fiery situations and circumstances of our lives to burn away the dross and impurities that lead to corruption and sin.

God’s fire is a necessary fire, and I believe that there are times when the only path to Him is through the fire. That’s right; through the fire. Despite the volumes written today about how God exists for the sole purpose of giving you your best life now on a silver platter, the fact is that Christians are not exempt from the fire. Thank God that we are not!

I can say that because my most intimate encounters with the Lord have been in the fire. I’ll go a bit further and say that God very rarely delivers us from the fire, but instead allows us to go through it for His own purposes. Being broken to the point of giving up more times than I care to share, I have learned that in my weakness He is made strong. Many of you reading this can relate, can’t you?

When I’m struggling to keep my head above the waters, I’m reminded of David who said, “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul”. [1]  This life can be crushing at times, of that there can be no doubt, and it is never “fair”. Yet when the Lord comes and extinguishes the fires in my life, the resulting peace is nearly unexplainable. It is the peace that Paul said was beyond our understanding. [2] 

I’ve reached the point in my journey here that I’ve managed to learn a few valuable lessons. One of those is that rather than complain or wring our hands in despair, we ought to take a different approach to the storms of life. Instead of asking God why I’m having to deal with this, or why did this happen to me, maybe we should be asking “Lord, what are you trying to teach me in this situation”?

The truth is that seldom is the day when we are not on the Potters wheel, for the Lord is continually molding and shaping us into vessels of honor to be used for His glory. Does it hurt? Yes, sometimes it is a painful process. Being pulled and stretched against our will is uncomfortable. Walking through the fire is not for the faint of heart, yet God sustains us through it all.

If you are reading this and are in a season of hurt, anguish, or despair, I want to share something with you. If you will trust the process, God Himself will deliver you. Your answer will come. The solution will become apparent to you. History does not lie, and history is filled with countless examples of the impossible becoming possible in His great name.

Don’t resist God’s refining fire of deliverance. Embrace it, knowing that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. All things. Not just the good things. Not just the happy times. All things include tears, pain, suffering, and many other unpleasant circumstances. All things work together for good. [3]

Have a blessed Lord’s day,

Ron

[1] Psalm 69:1

[2] Philippians 4:7

[3] Romans 8:28

Listen to His Voice

Have you ever noticed how quickly people dismiss God’s word today? Whether it’s an encounter with a stranger in the grocery store, or a long-time member of the church, people today seem to have settled it in their minds that they already know all they need to know and therefore don’t need to hear it any longer, or they don’t care to know anything at all about it and just want to be left alone.

As many of you that spend a lot of time in the Bible are aware, this is not exactly a new phenomenon. It’s been like this since the beginning. Remember that couple in the garden that decided that they knew better than God what was best for them?  

I was reminded of this as I was studying in the book of Jeremiah this week, and it came as no great surprise to find yet another example of it. The prophet had just delivered a thundering rebuke to the kings of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem because they had rejected the Lord and polluted His house.

As you read the words that Jeremiah delivered to the people, it should be obvious to them that they have brought upon themselves a level of punishment they were not expecting.

“Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle”. [1]

Now, I would like to think that had I been there and heard this proclamation, I would have immediately repented and turned my heart towards the Lord. At the very least, one would think such a prophecy would strike terror in the hearts of all that heard it. You would think, right?

Unfortunately, however, when God’s people turn away from Him, their ears quickly dull of hearing His voice, which in itself is a mystery, because those same ears have no difficulty in hearing what a million other voices are saying to them. Maybe there is some truth to the whole ‘selective hearing’ thing after all?

Be that as it may, and whether we receive it or not, God’s word is never spoken in vain. There is always a purpose when the Lord speaks. Whether through the pages of His word or from a pulpit on Sunday morning, the word of God declares the very heart of God. Listen to another prophet as he likens God’s word to the snow and rain that falls in order to provide water for growth.

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it”.  [2]

By this we understand that God has given us His word as a great benefit for us. The tragedy, however, is when it is rejected. When we consider it as unnecessary for our lives or judge it to be of no value to us, or if we refuse to humble our hearts and accept it because it offends us, we miss out on all its benefits.

Some might ask “well, why then did the Lord say His word would not return to him void, but would accomplish what He pleased if in fact we reject it? What has been accomplished”?

What has been accomplished is that in our rejection of His word, we have considered it, and to a nation whose ears are dull of hearing this is enough. Our decision to reject the word of God stands as a testimony against us, a testimony that will be revealed in that great day when we give account for the life we’ve lived.  

Judah refused to hear the word of the Lord and suffered terribly, ultimately enslaved by Babylon. America has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is even now suffering terribly, with far more severe judgments to come shortly. The entire world has refused to hear the word of the Lord and is teetering on the brink of WWIII. I wouldn’t wonder if many of our ears don’t tingle at the thought of the catastrophe that awaits us!

My prayer for you all is to listen to what the Lord is saying to you today. Let His word work in your heart, your home, and in your family. God’s “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path”.  [3]

May it guide you safely through the troubled waters of this life.

Have a blessed day, in Jesus name!

Ron

[1] Jeremiah 19:3

[2] Isaiah 55:11

[3] Psalm 119:105

Marking a Tragedy

Tragedy:

an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.

“a tragedy that killed 95 people”   [1]

Do you know someone who has suffered a tragedy? Most of us do.

Perhaps it is you that has suffered a tragedy? I know I have. Several of them actually.

How does one recover from a tragedy? Does one ever really recover from a tragedy?

Are there people who never recover from a tragedy? I believe there are.

I know someone like this. This person keeps a “death calendar”. Every year when it’s time to buy a new calendar, this person will go through it marking the dates when the people they loved died. This is a “death calendar”.

Certain dates are marked with personal notes such as “this is the day my world ended”. This day is marked for mourning and little else. This is a day for closing the curtains and sitting in the dark, alone with the distant memories of the day when life stopped.

This is what I refer to as Marking a Tragedy. An event so traumatic that it causes us to put our life on hold. We don’t move past it because we either cannot or will not.

All life now centers around the tragedy. Indeed, it has become larger than life itself.

In a lifetime of dealing with my own personal tragedies and in observing the tragedies of others,I have come to the conclusion that there is a very fine line between those who suffer tragedy and never recover, and those who suffer tragedy and go on to lead productive lives.

So I wonder, what makes the difference? Why doesn’t everyone recover from their personal tragedy and go on to lead a fulfilling and productive life?

The answer, at least in part, I believe is found in the word purpose. I like the word purpose because it speaks of something, a force perhaps, beyond our own limitations.

When we realize our purpose for being, it propels us forward in life and gives us the necessary strength and courage to overcome life’s challenges. And yes, that includes tragedy.

In my own life, I can say with the utmost confidence that a sense of purpose has kept me grounded and on track(for the most part), enabling me to move beyond situations that otherwise would have likely destroyed me.

As a young man of 23 I accepted the call into ministry, a decision that completely altered my life. For the first time, I had discovered purpose and that discovery was instrumental in seeing me through some very hard times.

For example, I quickly learned that accepting this calling was not met by those nearest to me with the same joy and excitement as I felt. Far from it actually. Because of their “lack of enthusiasm” towards what I was sure God was calling me to do, it caused me to question everything about what I believed. So much so, that I wanted to throw in the towel at least once or twice a month.

Yet for all of that, and there was a lot of “that”, I could never shake the sense of purpose that I felt when doing the work of the ministry. In ways that I could not understand, it seemed that every time I was ready to quit that sense of purpose would become even stronger.

As the weeks and months turned into years and now into decades, several events have occurred in my life that meet the definition of tragedy. At least a couple of those events should have destroyed my life, and even now they continue to try to hinder me.

As someone who has spent a great deal of time studying the scriptures, I have found them to be the antidote for life’s challenges. I have lost count of how many times God’s word has pulled me back from the brink.

Like the time I was sitting in my living room, Bible in my hands, crying out to the Lord that I couldn’t take it any longer. Having been blindsided by what was soon to turn into yet another tragedy, I had reached the end of my ability to hold on.

It was then that I felt the urge to turn in my Bible to the book of Job. Now, those of you who know Job’s story also know that this isn’t the most likely place to turn for encouragement when you are at the end of your rope.

Yet when I opened the book of Job to the 38th chapter, I saw it. In verse 1 it says “The the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said”,

Did you see the “hidden message” that I so desperately need to hear from the Lord that day?

While all along I had been asking, pleading with the Lord to take away my pain and hurt, the Lord used this verse to let me know that He could speak to me in the midst of my storm. He didn’t need to wait until the storm had passed, He could speak out of my storm!

As the realization of this truth became more clear to me, I literally jumped up out of my chair shouting “YES”! I knew then that everything was going to be alright. No, the storm didn’t dissipate immediately, in fact the worst was yet to come. That didn’t matter however, because I was assured that God had a purpose for me and therefore would see me through this tragedy.

My prayer for you today is that you will understand that you have purpose. You are needed, and you are most certainly loved. Life may have knocked you down to the point where you don’t want to get back up. Get back up anyway.

Seasons come and seasons go. Seasons of joy, excitement, and hope, along with seasons of tragedy, despair, and discouragement. Seasons are, however, just that. A season.

I leave you with the 2nd half of Psalm 30:5…

”Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning”.

Be blessed this day, in Jesus name!

Ron

[1] Bing search

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous”…

No doubt many of you recognize those words as part of the 34th Psalm. The entire text reads as follows:

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all”. [1]

This particular Psalm has been a great encouragement to me through the years, especially during those difficult seasons that we all go through from time to time.

I find it very comforting to know that the God of the Bible would have such a vested interest in us, and my personal observations through these many years of serving the Lord reveal that He is indeed still a Deliverer of His people.

This Psalm speaks to me in many ways. In it, David states that the righteous are afflicted not once, twice, or even three times, but he says that our afflictions are many.

In other words, David seems to be suggesting that afflictions and trials are to be expected. This aligns perfectly with what the Apostle Peter meant when he said “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you”; [2]

I can almost hear many of you say “Amen” to that!

The issues, or afflictions we deal with are as diverse and complex as we ourselves are. What may be an obstacle or hinderance to one may scarcely get another’s attention, while others of us may feel as though we are being made to pass through the fire, so great is the affliction.

I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping things in their proper perspective, which is why Peter said that we shouldn’t think it strange when we are afflicted, as if perhaps there were something wrong with us or with our relationship with the Lord.

The key issue here is that we not allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the afflictions and issues of this life. Easy for me to say, right? You may be thinking that I have no idea what you have been through or are currently going through.

And you would be 100% correct.

What I do know however is that God will deliver you. The Bible declares that God will deliver His children out of all afflictions. Notice that there is no provision made for the severity or frequency of the affliction. “All” in this case simply means all.

I recently had the opportunity to address this subject when I was invited to preach at a local church. On this particular Sunday, I felt strongly that I should speak on the topic of “Overcoming Through Faith and Hope”. In this message, I shared some of these very same thoughts about how that God will deliver us if we will call upon Him.

I also pointed out that the trials and afflictions we endure actually serve a Divine purpose. As Christians, we must understand that while there are times when things happen in a seemingly random fashion, usually when we are in a difficult trial there is a greater purpose.

You see, God uses these as a means of increasing our dependence upon Him. He uses them to mold us and to shape us into the person he has destined we become. Much like the blacksmith uses a forge and a heavy hammer to bend, twist, and shape a raw piece of steel into something useable, so it is with the Lord.

Of course, none of us are likely to say how much we enjoy this process, are we? I know I don’t! After all, I don’t like being pulled out of my comfort zone any more than you do!

Being tested, tried, afflicted, or whatever you wish to call it is all a part of the process of dying to SELF. It is a necessary, albeit sometimes painful road that all of God’s children must walk.

There is great joy in this journey however, because the Lord will deliver you out of all of the afflictions and trials that come your way.

Be blessed and encouraged, because Jesus is Lord!

Ron

 

[1] Psalm 34:19 NKJV

[2] 1 Peter 4:12  NKJV

Sizzling For Jesus?

About a month ago, my wife and I were discussing some different areas of ministry, and in particular the area of preparedness. In other words, how we might approach the different ways in which we minister to people.

Now, as regular readers may know, my wife is extremely adept at getting to the crux of the matter. In other words, she doesn’t mince words but gets right to the point.

So it was on this occasion as we were discussing the study time necessary in order to prepare and deliver a sermon. Her exact quote is as follows:

”If the only time we push the pan close to the fire is when we are scheduled to preach (teach, sing, pray, etc), then we are not being faithful. We should be as close to the fire as possible at all times!” Of course, she was correct in her assessment.

To use her as an example, she is a gifted soloist and is often asked to sing at our church. To many, she’s just a pretty face standing up there singing her beautiful songs. And I’m just as certain that there are a few who see her as merely the “entertainment”.

I, on the other hand, know differently. When she is scheduled to sing, the first thing she does is to pray about what song to sing. This isn’t a quick thought like “well Lord, what’s it going to be this time?” Not at all!

She will pray until she believes she has heard from the Lord about the song He wants her to sing. Do you know why she does that? It’s because her song is her ministry gift from the Lord, and she takes that very seriously.

So seriously that she wouldn’t think of not being prepared to deliver her gift. That includes much prayer as well as a lot of practice time in her “studio”( it’s actually our garage, but she refers to it as her studio). Her gifting is in worship, and when she sings she is singing as if Jesus was sitting on the front row.

She does not “perform”, rather what she does is worship the King of Kings.

It’s no different then when I am asked to speak in one of the services. I have to know that I’ve heard from the Lord before I will ever step behind the pulpit. To do so knowing that I was unprepared would be an insult to the Lord, and you can believe me when I say that isn’t going to happen.

This takes many hours of study and prayer, because just like my wife, my calling is very serious to me. I understand that many do not take this approach, in fact, I have had my share of people tell me I am far too serious about this. Imagine that!

For me, however, there is no other way.

I’m that serious because it’s very personal to me. It’s like a covenant between the Lord and me, and I don’t ever want to break that covenant. So I endeavor to be as prepared as I possibly can be when I’m called upon.

Whatever area the Lord has gifted you in, I trust that you also take it seriously. Whatever gifts and callings we may have, use them to your fullest capability. They were given to you for a purpose, and that purpose is to use them to bring glory and honor to God.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.   Romans 11:29

That’s how important and serious this is.

My Princess had one final thought on the matter of preparedness, and I will leave you with that.

“You can’t sizzle for Jesus unless your pan is on the fire!”

That’s right my love, and we’re going to keep right on sizzling together for Him!

Be blessed on this wonderful Lord’s day!

Ron

Whatever you do, do it with purpose!

Last night I spoke at our church from Daniel chapter one, which tells the story of Israel being carried away into Babylon and of Daniel being selected to stand before the king.

As heartbreaking as it is to read of God’s punishment for their rebellion, the captivity of Israel served a dual purpose.

As prophesied by Jeremiah, Israel was going to be punished for their continual rebellion against God by being carried away to Babylon as captive slaves for a period of 70 years. This was the fulfillment of that prophecy. [1]

While in Babylon, God used Daniel in miraculous ways to revel Himself to a people who otherwise would have never known about Him. Through his ability to interpret dreams and his unwavering faith in God’s deliverance, Daniel was able to turn the heart of the king of Babylon completely toward the Lord. [2]

None of this would have been possible however, had Daniel not maintained a positive attitude in spite of the overwhelming situation he found himself in.

Uprooted from everything he knew at a very young age, Daniel could have easily succumbed to bitterness and allowed his heart to become hardened towards his God.

Like so many of us, he could have asked God “WHY?” a thousand times, yet what he did instead was fall back on what he had already been taught, which was to keep God first in his life.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.   Daniel 6:8

Daniel had purposed in his heart that despite his circumstances, he would not reject the Lord. In essence, he was drawing a line in the sand and letting everyone know that he would not be drawn into the sinful culture of his captors.

What does that say about this young man? Well, for one thing, it says that his faith in God wasn’t predicated by his feelings. If Daniel was going on feelings alone, I’m pretty sure he had much to be discouraged about had he chosen that path.

Being a hostage in the king’s court, separated from his family, the feelings of loneliness and abandonment could easily have overwhelmed him.

I have a standard answer to tell people who say that they haven’t sensed or felt God’s presence in their life for a season. That is that God has promised to ‘never leave us nor forsake us ‘. And that God’s promises trump our feelings. [3]

Every. Single. Time.

As I told the congregation last night, there are times when we find ourselves in situations that are not of our choosing. We did nothing to warrant the predicament we find ourselves in. Yet here we are, and we must choose how we will face adversity.

I have found myself in those situations and have been forced to endure hardship all because of the poor choices of someone else. While our own poor choices bring about consequences that must be dealt with, it’s quite another matter when you are forced to suffer because of someone else.

Can I get an AMEN?

Let’s face it, there can be no doubt that some things are just not meant to be understood by our limited ability to reason and comprehend. In those times, I believe God calls us to simply place one foot in front of another as we walk with Him. That is real FAITH my friends!

If we choose to be like Daniel, and purpose in our hearts that we will not defile ourselves with doubt and conformity to the world’s way of doing things, we can expect God to stand with us no matter how difficult the test.

God’s vision and hope for you far exceeds your present condition. Think about that, and rest assured that God has his hand upon you.

Be blessed,

Ron

[1] Jeremiah 25:11

[2] Daniel 2:48, Daniel 3: 28,29, Daniel 6: 26,27

[3] Hebrews 13:5

What are YOU good at?

The other day my wife handed me a piece of paper on which she had quickly written something she had heard somewhere. Here is her message:

“In the church we’ve gotten really good at worship, but not so good at service to the Lord.”

As I reflected on this it struck me in a profound way that what she said was very true. For so long our churches have focused so much of their resources on creating the perfect “worship environment”(whatever that is), that it’s come at the high cost of neglecting others, and more importantly, Him.

If we aren’t serving others, how are we Christlike?

If ministry is not our primary purpose, what exactly is our purpose?

If we aren’t being salt and light in this world, why does this world even need us?

If we aren’t anointed and equipped for service, then who is doing the work of the ministry?

Father, as David prayed, so do I.

Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Teach me that serving others is serving You. Take the blinders from my eyes that I might see the needs that are all around me. Help me to understand that my neighborhood is my mission field, that souls hang in the balance, and that yes, I am my brothers keeper. Instruct me in your ways Lord, and let me not fail to praise you for the untold blessings that have been given to me. Amen

Ron

 

 

Where does the time go?

Do you ever ask yourself “where does the time go”?

Are you one of those who easily lose track of time, and before you know it a couple of hours have passed?

I admit it. I’m really bad about letting time get away from me, especially now that I’m retired. Where I once had my days planned out in 15 minute increments and often had to settle for 10 or 15 minute lunches, now I rarely even glance at my watch.

If I get interested in something I tend to get lost in it very easily. I always hoped that such a trait was a hallmark of genius, but obviously not!

I’m always reading a book, whether a real ‘hold it in my hands’ book or an eBook. I can’t go into a thrift store without looking for another book. Even my email inbox delivers a daily selection of pre-selected books from which to choose.

Like many people, I have several Bibles. In fact, I just picked up another one Friday. I have no idea how many electronic versions I have, too many would be a good guess. Like any of us really need this many Bibles.

Maybe I need an intervention?

Speaking of wasting time, I rarely miss watching the evening news, though I find most of it terribly depressing. Honestly, I think all news reporting is just about the same; agenda driven half-truths designed to sway public opinion to one side or another.

Can I just have the facts so I can make my own decisions please?

I spend so much time online that I think my iPad has become an appendage!

I also watch my share of Christian music or preaching videos on YouTube, which are both a blessing and a curse. It is, however, light years ahead of the WOF prosperity blather constantly being regurgitated on TBN.

What I am coming to realize is that my attention is diverted in so many different directions that I find it difficult to stay focused on any one of them for very long. Maybe you can relate?

I am also realizing just how quickly time is slipping through my fingers. Like sand thru the hourglass, as the saying goes, every day represents a little less time that we have to accomplish whatever it is we have been called to do.

The Apostle Paul understood this all too well. Paul was all about running his race in order to receive the prize at the end. He also knew that time was something that each of us has a predetermined amount of, therefore he cautioned the church at Rome not to fall asleep on the job.

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.    Romans 13:11

Additionally, when he was preaching at Ephesus, Paul spoke about “redeeming the time”. What he was saying to them was that as Christians we ought to make the best, most efficient use of the time we have.

In other words, stop wasting so much time!

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.   Eph. 5:15-16

God’s word cautions us to walk carefully, living our lives with honor, purpose, and courage. We are urged to be diligent to wake out of our sleep, make the most out of the time we’ve been allotted, and clarify our priorities.

Maybe the question isn’t “where does the time go”, but rather how much time are we allotting to the really important things in our lives?

Be blessed!

Ron

A Tale of two Paths

The Path you have chosen.

The Path that has been chosen for you.

Photo by Alex Iby on Unsplash

I’ve always been somewhat envious of those who carve out their own career path in life. Of course, I suppose all of us do this to a certain extent, whether intentional or not.

I’m referring however to those individuals who are driven to the point of mapping out their lives, setting specific goals, and then working their tails off to achieve those goals.

I’m sure you’ve heard someone talk about how all they ever wanted to do was to accomplish this or that, and years later they finally realized their dreams.

There’s something very special about a person who can maintain such discipline, especially from the perspective of a lot of us who don’t seem to have that specific gene in our DNA.

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

When I was much younger, I too thought I had my life mapped out. I dreamed of making a career in the outdoors as a professional bass fisherman. If that didn’t work out my back up plan was to be a writer, a dream I still wish to pursue.

As is often the case however, things didn’t turn out the way I had envisioned. A little thing called LIFE got in the way, and I said goodbye to fishing and hello to a real job and real responsibilities.

In spite of the twists and turns, the ups and downs, and a few “falling off the cliffs” thrown in for good measure, one day God came knocking on the door of my heart.

And I’ve never been the same since.

It was obvious right from the start that God had another plan for my life. If you’ve ever sensed that God has called you to a higher purpose, then you understand what I’m saying.

When you sense that call, your perspective on life changes because you come to the realization that you are part of something much bigger than anything your own plans could ever accomplish.

When you yield to the call, you are relinquishing control of your destiny and placing it firmly in His hands. And when you take that final step of submission, that’s when it hits you: Someone much higher and much greater than you has had a plan for your life all along.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

This is not to say that allowing God to call the shots is always an easy thing to do, because it is not. There is a lot of fear in letting go of the reigns, and I have observed (and learned) that this is actually a work in progress.

Yet there is also a great calmness that comes over us when we allow the Master to take control. A peace that passes all understanding is how Paul referred to it when preaching to the Philippian church.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Philippians. 4:7

Perhaps you’re in a place where your life plans are just not working out the way you thought they would. Who knows, maybe you’re at the point where you’re ready to start over with a brand new plan.

If you are, I pray that you will give God an opportunity to show you the plan that He has for your life. Give Him the chance to show you the difference between you charting your own course, or carving your own path, and Him choosing the best path for your life.

I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed!

Be blessed,

Ron