God's Way, Not My Way

Remember who you are and whose you are. When you accepted Jesus into your heart, you're identity became that of Christ. In Galatians 1:10 Paul wrote, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Identity and approval go hand in hand because it is where you seek for approval that your identity will lie. The sinful nature of humans causes us to have a natural inclination to desire approval from other humans. The problem with approval from men is that all humans possess the same sinful nature. As we seek approval from people around us, we often become consumed with meeting their standards and living up to high expectations. Other times, we alter our decisions and lifestyle to avoid disappointing people. Seeking the approval of men not only constrains us to a lifestyle of limited opportunities, but it also affects our identity. Living such a lifestyle causes us to miss what God has for us, because we become so fixed on our desires and upholding the approval of men. We forget that God has a plan already laid out for us with our best interest in mind. Often, it is hard to trust him and follow his plan because we are scared of losing something because of our human nature. We become so lost in satisfying others or meeting human expectations and standards, that we've put God's plan on the back burner because we think our plan is better. Think of a little girl with a small teddy bear, and she's standing in front of God asking her to give it up. She cries because she loves her teddy bear and doesn't want to lose it, but she doesn't see the giant beautiful teddy bear that God is holding behind his back. Whatever happens, we must trust God. Jeremiah 29:11 says "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." God doesn't break his promises. Life may be difficult and confusing, but God's got a reason and plan. Even when the future seems cloudy and unknown, God has an incredible purpose for where you are now, and where you will be in the future. Also, something I've learned is that without pain there would be no healing, without hardship there would be no triumph, and without sin there would be no grace and mercy. Without the flaws of human nature, God's sovereign character would mean nothing. He wouldn't have reason to demonstrate his love. God is by no means in the business of perfection. He is in the business of restoring what's been broken, and we are all broken. He makes beauty out of ashes. Think about New Testament Saul, the man who was well known for persecuting Christians. For a great part of his life, he dedicated himself to killing Christians, then one day, God made himself known to Saul, and brought Saul to his weakest by taking away his eye sight. God then told Saul what he needed to do if he wanted his eyesight back. Saul, completely blind, follows God's instructions, and God restores his eyesight. From that day on, Saul was known as Paul, one of the most influential preachers of the Gospel, one of most, if not the most well known apostles in the Bible, and a walking example of Christ's redeeming love and grace. God took a murderous & hard hearted Saul, and transformed him into a God- fearing servant of the Lord. God is constantly working in you and through you. Trust him, and trust his plan. 

I wrote this post two months ago after I returned from my fourth mission trip in Honduras. I never got around to posting it because I was "waiting on the right time". In all honesty, I forgot I even had it saved in my drafts! But here I am, two months later, and I run across this saved in my notes. I began reading what I had already written, and gradually I remembered the circumstances behind the post. As I was reading those words that I had written two months ago, it became clear to me why I had not posted it yet. God had me run across the draft I had forgotten about for two months on this day for a specific reason. When I originally wrote this post, the purpose I had in mind was for other people to read it and be encouraged. However, those words written above, are not just for other people, but for me as well. God knew that I would need to hear that message at this specific time in my life. I am going to share with you what God has been teaching me, and how he used the very words I wrote two months ago to grab my attention. 

Without disclosing all the details, I want to share what God has been doing in a specific area life for the past several months. It wasn't until yesterday that I saw clearly what God has been preparing me for. Many of my friends and family know that I have never been fond of change. I think that devil uses anxiety cloud my thoughts with worry and irrational fears of losing people, disappointing people, and failure to adjust to change. Once I get comfortable with a certain lifestyle, habit, or person, it is extremely difficult to be open to any type of change. Well in the past two days, the Lord has revealed to me that by holding onto a certain once- desired lifestyle, I have missed a number of opportunities, overlooked other joys of life, and built up walls in relationships simply so I don't disappoint. As I read the draft from two months ago, I heard God telling me to give it up and hand it over to him. I immediately had a peace come over me, and I knew that by giving up that plan I created for myself, there will be so much more room for what God wants for me. After months of battling with my anxiety and fear of disappointing people, yesterday I was finally honest with myself and God. In return, he has relieved me from the stress and burdens that I've been carrying alone for so long. By giving up my plan, things will change, adjustments will be made, but I am able to rest in the fact that God has incredible opportunities in store for me. I can be myself again without feeling compelled to hide behind what I made myself to be for so long. While I am not completely certain of my next step, I am certain that the plan God has for me is beautiful and better than any plan I could create on my own. Like Saul, I am walking into the next phase of life blind with the Lord's guidance. I am hopeful and excited for what's ahead of me, and I am beyond grateful for the joy and peace God has given me in this decision to lay down my plan and give him control. In conclusion, I hope this encouraged someone to reevaluate who they seek approval from, where their identity lies, and whether or not they are trusting God's plan rather than their own.