November 1, 2012
Transformational Thought
When I look back at my childhood, I recognize a big disconnect that dramatically affected me through my teen and early adult years … and I battle its subsequent ripples even now. The disconnect … what my parents actually wanted from me as a kid was different from what I thought they wanted. There were lots of reasons for this, but I wish I had known then what I know now about my parents’ hearts. So many wrong decisions and mistakes with the resulting heartache, suffering, and regret could have been avoided.
In a similar fashion, a lot of my spiritual problems, which then led to psychological and relational struggles, were the result of another disconnect … between what God really wanted from me and what I thought He wanted from me. God doesn’t need our plans and ideas; He wants our attention. He doesn’t need our obedience; He wants our adoration. He does not need us to spend hours thinking up things for Him to do and bless; He wants us to spread His Word and further His Kingdom here on earth.
Sometimes we go to great lengths to bring God down to our level, to make Him finite so I can understand His ways and plans. I am so grateful that we serve a God who is so big and infinite that He is beyond my understanding, who is not dependent on my strength, my time, and my money. What a mess that would be! I believe that He wants us in a place where we know He is leading. He is our shield. And a shield works best in the front, not behind us.
Our question must be, “What is it You want me to do, Lord?” Most of us don’t even know our own hearts. Our ways are not His ways. What He wants from us is clear and He reveals it in His word. If it doesn’t seem to make sense, seems like a disconnect, then Satan is at work. Default back to what The Holy Bible says.
Today, take a piece of paper and draw 2 lines down the page dividing it into 3 equal parts. First, without thinking, write down the things that immediately come to mind about what God desires of you. Then, in the middle section write what the Bible says God wants of, from, and for you. Lastly, in the section on the right, write down what others would write about you based on what they observe from your daily behavior and if they could see into your thoughts (who you really are). Hopefully, this will help show you some of the disconnects that interfere with abundant living. The first step to change is self-reflection and self-assessment. Believing what God desires for you is really the best for you is your decision, so choose well.
Prayer
O God, thank You so much for loving me as I am. I want to know Your desires and plans for me. At times, I have glimpses of them and actually live them. But then the world’s clutter and my old tapes start playing and I lose sight of Your real desires for me. Thanks for persevering with Your plans for me even though I take the long way to get to Your goal. Thank You for the trials You allow that cause me to increase my trust in You. Help me give praise to You during the really tough storms in life. I know You are working all things out for your Glory. In the name of my connector to the Father, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!
The Truth
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
And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The LORD is my God. Zechariah 13:9
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5
The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy; but I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10