There have been many moments in my life where I have prayed for God to intervene and cause my life to line up with His Word and will. I especially prayed this prayer following long months of dis-satisfaction with what the world has had to offer. For a time, certain fraudulent things made me "happy" and distracted from the truth that I was sincerely miserable. I found myself confused as to why I was so upset sun up to sun down. I would put on a happy face and try to enjoy the things I had taken deep possession and pride in, only to feel completely numb and completely empty. Why would all these seemingly wonderful things not satisfy? Was this really God's best for my life? I loved the Lord and did my best to follow Him, but I wanted my best for me and that lead me down into a pit of despair. Eventually, I realized my best for me was a filthy hog bathing in mud compared to the best God had already prepared for me. I knew that if I would give up my own wants and stop trying to fill empty spaces with counterfeit happiness, God's best would come to life.
A devastating heart break brought me to my senses. I remember crying out for God in a way I hadn't in a very long time, if ever. I was desperate for His will to be done in my life because my "will" and my idea of "best" wasn't quite cutting it. I can still feel that moment like it was yesterday. All of my ability to make it on my own was coming to an end. I was on my knees and then on my face. I felt as if I was jumping head first off a cliff into the unknown. I finally let go of all of me to be revived by all of Him. The cool thing is He didn't seem angry. He didn't say "I told you so," even though He had every right to. I felt a release. God had been waiting for me to allow Him to produce His best in my life. For so long I was begging God to keep certain relationships intact and begging for His blessing in areas of my life that were hanging on by a thread. Even when He blessed the dead things I had begged Him to bless, they still stunk. It was like trying to cover up the smell of a rotting, dead, skunk with fa-breeze. I know those commercials on TV make it seem like fa-breeze does the trick, but not when the stench has been present and lingering for years. So, I stopped asking God to bless my mess and started asking for his undeniable best.
"But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind" (James 1:6, NLT).
The commentary in my Bible puts it this way, "A person with divided loyalty is not completely convinced that God's way is best. He treats God 's word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. He vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world's ideas, and God's commands. If your faith is new, weak, or struggling, remember that you can trust God. Then be loyal by committing yourself wholeheartedly to God" (Life Application Study Bible, NLT)
Wow. Considering all scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16), as well as alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), I never want to make Gods advice seem equal to any human counsel. If I believe my reasoning and plans are better than His, then I've got a rude awakening coming to me like a slap to the face after a bad sunburn. Ouch! There has to be a point when we decide we are going to take God at His word and believe Him for His best. We can trust God with our future even more than we can trust ourselves. He is all knowing and all loving. I, on the other hand, have no idea what today will hold. When God's response to your begging heart is "No," trust that it is for your own good.
"But, God I really want to spend the rest of my life with this person...and, God I really want to change jobs," however He may respond, be at rest that it is for the better. His advice is not to be taken lightly nor is it to be ignored. Take heed when He responds to your prayers, because He is at work on your behalf. "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" (Romans 8:28, NLT).
Why settle for your interpretation of good, when you can have God's fulfillment of best? Ask yourself if you are currently walking in His ways and plans or your own. Are you heeding His eternal and wise advice, or are the waves tossing you like a ship in a storm? It is never too late to change your course! Change your counsel and you will change your course. Look to God in every situation and take His Word over anyone else's. He longs to give you his best, so please don't settle for anything less.
From my personal blog - www.callimayhey.wordpress.com
