More and more I am convinced that the greatest peace for me is drawing to the Lord and loving Him. Whatever answers I am looking for I will find in Him. Even as small as the answer for What should I make for dinner tonight? the Lord gives to me. (Actually, as I was just typing that last sentence, the Lord just answered my question. I just saw the pork chops left over we had when we went out for dinner the other night with a friend. I totally forgot about it. And so we are set. Peace again.) It's the greatest thing ever for me! The Lord! The God of all creation! The God of all things! Who knows and understands and sees all things! And who loves me above all! Can give me the answers to any questions I may have. Like, What am I supposed to do in this life? What is my purpose? And what I am supposed to do in preparation for that purpose? What? What? What?
All these questions that can send a person in high depression if they don't have the answers. I have found I can have by coming to Him.
And the answer? This is what He gives me: Just love me. I will take care of it. I am your purpose. Love me and I will make all your dreams come true.
I read blogs, listen to inspirational podcasts, and they are all good and amazing; but after awhile I've found myself depressed. How do you keep up with all the lists they give you on what you're supposed to do to prepare for your calling; for your dream? At one point I felt like a total loser - an outcast of society - a lazy bum - someone who will never amount to anything - hence, a failure. Because I found myself totally inadequate and limited to the dream I have in my heart.
Then I remembered the Lord and talked to Him and cried to Him. How can I do all this? How can I prepare for what You have for me to do? And then He said an amazing thing to me: Just love me. I'll take care of it for you.
God is not only the one that gives us the dream, He's also the one that prepares us for it, brings us to it, and finally brings the dream to reality for us. When our lives are totally committed to Him, there's nothing we need to worry about, but just loving Him and drawing to Him. He said in His word:
"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing." {John 15:4-5}
I have a file of songs in my laptop ready to go when the time comes. But the Lord was the one who told me to file them in one place: Type the lyrics down and record the mp3 files - in one place. I used to have them scattered in different notebooks, in different computers, in binders, in this tape player, in this voice recorder, or in little notes here and there. Now, whenever I have a new song written He's the one that tells me, "File it." Sometimes I get lazy and file them the next day or so. Last week after a song, He told me, "File it." And I started to say, "Tomorrow." He said, "File it." meaning "Now." And I had no excuse. I had allocated an hour for writing a song and still had half hour left. So I did. And in ten minutes I have a song added to my log of songs. I have now almost three hundred songs filed. If the Lord hadn't told me to file them all in one place and to keep filing them as I write them, I don't know where they would all be today or even if I'd know how much songs I've written already.
And the truth is, if the dream you have in your heart is from the Lord, you don't attain it, He gives it to you. And the reason why He's going to help you prepare for it (and actually sometimes you will not even be aware of it), is because it's His dream also. He wants it to come to pass as much as you do. So what do you have left to do? Just love Him. That's it. Continue to abide in Him in His word, talk to Him, and praise and thank Him everyday. It's that easy!
I've heard of people who prepared for their dreams and when they were ready the Lord brought the next step for them - whether a publisher for their book or a recording contract for their songs. Some people will say, It's all their hard work that had gotten them where they are. It had nothing to do with God. Maybe so. And if God isn't in your life and equation, maybe it is all your handwork; for after all Proverbs states, In all labor there is profit. But I know some who actually believe that they were being led to prepare for it. They didn't think it was just their own. Some say they didn't even know they were being prepared until the day the opportunity came. They believe it was divine leading.
Well for me, I'd like to think for myself, it is God. More and more, the closer I come to Him, the clearer it is to me, that He is the one drawing me to where He wants me to be. And He is showing me, that He's the one that does all things. Daniel said:
"…The most High ruleth in the kingdom of men and giveth it to whomsoever He will." {Daniel 4:32}
God is the one that changes the times and the seasons. He's the One that sets leaders and kings in their place and takes them away. He's the One that gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those that understand. {See Daniel 2:21} He does all things so that man cannot glory in himself. Whether man gives it to Him or not, it doesn't matter. In the end, God will get all the glory.
If my life is His and I've committed it to Him - what should I worry about? Since He does all things for me; there is nothing really, at all. He is showing me, that He wants me to live in peace today. He doesn't want me worrying about tomorrow. He said in His word:
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." {John 14:27}
Peace yesterday, peace today, peace tomorrow…Peace always.
And how does this happen? By daily abiding in Him - in His word, talking to Him, loving Him, and bringing myself to His presence always…bringing my thoughts to His word, to His voice, to His wonderful works He has done for me in time past and believing Him in what He's going to do for me today, as well for the future.
Peace always. He promised to never leave me, nor forsake me. He does all things. And does it well. Amen.
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