So this afternoon I carted my friend across town to go see her mother at work. I know she's reading this so I'll be tactful. I was hungry and all I wanted to do was go to Ukrops (for the last time EVER) and eat while dwelling in the beautiful nostalgia of that soon-to-be-bought-out institution.
It was time to eat- the perfect time in fact, in order for me to work up enough of an apetite for the dinner I knew was awaitiing me at 6:30 this evening. I just like to plan out my meals, OK?
Needless to say, I somehow got convinced to drive 45 minutes both ways to go see her mother whom she would be seeing in about 4 hours once she got home anyway. This girl loves her mother, let me tell you ;)
And I'll admit I was kind of a "frump", as she would call it, the whole time. I mean, I had good reason to be ornery. I was hungry, right? All I could think about is how my whole meal schedule was going to be ascew, throwing my entire day into dietary chaos!
This is not the first time I've gotten worked up about going "out of my way" or veering "off schedule". And I think my frustration is deeper than just upsetting my meal plan....I have this perception in my mind that following God's will means adhering to some cosmic ordering of events that encompasses everything we do, from how long we put something in the microwave for, to what our class schedule should be. It just seems like if we want things to line up the right way, we need to be in the right place at the right time. And that typically involves some planning.
However, I'm starting to see that God might have a different view on things. And from time to time he likes messing with me by throwing things into the mix that I never could have prepared for or predicted. God seems to likes surprises, and that's hard for me.
God's will is not some arbitrary, non-negotiable outline of events that's already pre-written. This view will only lead to disappointment when we put such strenuous restrictions on ourselves and then fail to follow them. Not to mention it adds unnecessary stress to decision-making, when in some cases eenie-meenie-minie-mo would suffice.
I've come to see God's will as one of those "choose-your-path" books that I used to read when I was a kid. You come to a junction and get to choose what to do next. "To fight the forest monster, turn to page 23. To escape through an underground cave, turn to page 44." Regardless of what you choose, the story has already been written. But it hasn't yet been discovered or told.
It's true that God is omniscient, but I am not. And there's no way I can foresee the outline He may or may not have already established, and form my schedule accordingly. Thus I need to accept that I can't even predict what my day will look like, let alone my life. I need to abandon all my lofty expectations. I need to embrace the twists and turns and surprises. Because life with Him is unpredictable.
So no matter what decisions we make in life, whether its about attending the yoga class tomorrow morning or choosing the right career path, God will unravel a story that's full of just as much beauty and purposeful coincidence as any of the other choices would have lead to. Walking in His will is more about abiding in His word and listening to His voice daily, than it is about conforming to some strict plan.
So take the pressure off. Toss out your planners. Just walk with Him one step at a time, and be prepared to be surprised.
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."-James 4:13-15
It was time to eat- the perfect time in fact, in order for me to work up enough of an apetite for the dinner I knew was awaitiing me at 6:30 this evening. I just like to plan out my meals, OK?
Needless to say, I somehow got convinced to drive 45 minutes both ways to go see her mother whom she would be seeing in about 4 hours once she got home anyway. This girl loves her mother, let me tell you ;)
And I'll admit I was kind of a "frump", as she would call it, the whole time. I mean, I had good reason to be ornery. I was hungry, right? All I could think about is how my whole meal schedule was going to be ascew, throwing my entire day into dietary chaos!
This is not the first time I've gotten worked up about going "out of my way" or veering "off schedule". And I think my frustration is deeper than just upsetting my meal plan....I have this perception in my mind that following God's will means adhering to some cosmic ordering of events that encompasses everything we do, from how long we put something in the microwave for, to what our class schedule should be. It just seems like if we want things to line up the right way, we need to be in the right place at the right time. And that typically involves some planning.
However, I'm starting to see that God might have a different view on things. And from time to time he likes messing with me by throwing things into the mix that I never could have prepared for or predicted. God seems to likes surprises, and that's hard for me.
God's will is not some arbitrary, non-negotiable outline of events that's already pre-written. This view will only lead to disappointment when we put such strenuous restrictions on ourselves and then fail to follow them. Not to mention it adds unnecessary stress to decision-making, when in some cases eenie-meenie-minie-mo would suffice.
I've come to see God's will as one of those "choose-your-path" books that I used to read when I was a kid. You come to a junction and get to choose what to do next. "To fight the forest monster, turn to page 23. To escape through an underground cave, turn to page 44." Regardless of what you choose, the story has already been written. But it hasn't yet been discovered or told.
It's true that God is omniscient, but I am not. And there's no way I can foresee the outline He may or may not have already established, and form my schedule accordingly. Thus I need to accept that I can't even predict what my day will look like, let alone my life. I need to abandon all my lofty expectations. I need to embrace the twists and turns and surprises. Because life with Him is unpredictable.
So no matter what decisions we make in life, whether its about attending the yoga class tomorrow morning or choosing the right career path, God will unravel a story that's full of just as much beauty and purposeful coincidence as any of the other choices would have lead to. Walking in His will is more about abiding in His word and listening to His voice daily, than it is about conforming to some strict plan.
So take the pressure off. Toss out your planners. Just walk with Him one step at a time, and be prepared to be surprised.
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."-James 4:13-15
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