The Right Way

The Right Way
by Millie Plastaras copyright 11/7/2004

I will lead the Blind by ways they have not known along
unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into
light before them and make the rough places smooth. These
are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 42:16

I have found so many verses in the word of God that talk
about His guidance and provision for those who seek Him
first. It is a recurring pattern of promises to those who believe
in His power to save, transform, guide, renew, protect and
show mercy to us daily. God is on the throne. The question is
where is He in our mind?

I am reminded of a person who is working hard at a task,
and they cannot quite seem to make it work. They try again,
and again, and getting frustrated by the lack of comprehension
of how to solve the problem becomes uppermost in their mind.

An onlooker comes and offers a suggestion and is instantly
rebuked by the worker who vents their frustration on the nearest
target. "Leave me alone, I have been doing this for years,
I can figure this out." But the worker never turned around
and recognized the person who offered the suggestion
was the owner of the company, who rarely came by, but
had made the original project himself. And knew exactly
how to fix it in every conceivable situation.

We are like this. We think we can control or fix everything.
We stubbornly focus on the task, not taking time to find
a moment of refreshing to relax, or a moment to read
the instructions to help us "fix" it in the recommended way.
Noooooooooooo .. We know better.

How many times have you found yourself doing this?

I think we all have ... and I would be willing to bet, it has
rarely worked out for you. A person with a need to control
will find that life removes the ability to control to teach us
we were never in control.

Read that again:

A person with a need to control will find that life
removes the ability to control to teach us
we were never in control.

God wants us to trust, rely on, lean on, find guidance in,
put Him as the Boss, the Owner, the Ruler. He wants
to be our sufficiency. He wants to be Lord of our lives.

Yet, we here, in our finite wisdom, say God, I can do it
on my own, you just don't understand. And day after day
we find ourselves frustrated with the task at hand
because we are trying to do everything ourselves without
having all the tools needed to fix it correctly.

My friend for one to make God Lord of their life, they
have to

1. Release their burdens to Him and never pick them back up.
2. Recognize His position of Authority in our lives. He is Lord!
3. Recognize we are not in control, and pretending we
are may cost us more than we ever dreamed.
4. Recognize life throws us many unexpected things,
and that God knows about them, has plans for us,
and can work it out.
5. Remember that God wants us to let Him rule and reign
in our hearts every hour of every day.
6. Pray - it is the doorway to God's heart.
7. Read the Word - it is the fuel your spirit needs to function
spiritually.

There is a old saying: Let Go, and Let God (be God)

Sounds simple.. but for most of us ... it seems to be taking
a lifetime of surrendering our will to his.

Why don't we take a shortcut ... and just let go now.. so
we can find more peace, more joy, and more guidance
for the path, rather than wandering around like a lost
soul because we were stubborn and wanted to run everything?

It is only in His sufficiency ... we find ours.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct
your paths.
Proverbs 3:6

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your
ears will hear a voice behind you saying
"This is the way, walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Listen for that still small voice, and be obedient.

remember
Only one life, will soon be past
Only what is done, for Christ will last