Invigorating
“To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the
tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans,” Proverbs 16:1-3, NIV.
When I commit my plans to God what I am actually doing is seeking wisdom for that which I deem important. Yet, even though I believe they are right and even necessary, I want them to be blessed and sanctioned by my Father. I want His way over my own.
When I commit to God, it means I am agreeing with His direction, purpose and plans.
But I never lose my identity, personality or creativity. These are all gifts that originated with God. I don’t believe He wants to take them from me. He just desires to shape them for good and not for self-righteousness.
For example, I have always wanted to be a Christian women’s retreat speaker. I love teaching God’s Word to others, and retreats are a fun short-term commitment of achieving this goal.
However, this was never God’s plan for me, for two reasons. One, I love the applause of others, and two, I wanted to receive the potential acclamations and may or may not have shared them with my Creator.
This does portray me as a selfish person, which is true, but somehow I feel the need to defend myself. I have never purposefully injured man or animal—not including insects and fish. In fact, one time I nursed a baby bird back to flying health. It had fallen from its twenty-plus foot nest.
Thanks for letting me share—I feel better (see selfish).
God knows my propensity to lean into my strengths, so He has chosen to use my weakness to shame my presumed wisdom. He has helped me develop a style of writing that I never thought possible. I am dyslexic. I can’t spell and often flip words in sentences. This calling to write—literally a calling—has left me dependent on spell check and faithful editors, and of course our LORD.
God knew that my journey, my way with Him, would be one of struggle. But, it has also been thrilling. As a result, I have fallen more deeply in love with God than ever before. He shows me something interesting and allows me to interpret it in my own unique way. He gives me a different perspective. Coupled with His word, and I feel invigorated.
God’s Word makes me feel strong, healthy and full of energy. Knowing He loves me, gives me purpose, and that He will never leave me fuels my next steps. I may not step up to a pulpit on a Saturday morning to greet a group of women, but I do get to sit at my kitchen table and write, teach and hopefully encourage others.
Are you committing to God what you are doing?
Father,
You are so faithful. Thank You for doing life with me. You have been by my side, always. I can’t imagine writing, serving or just being without You.
Though You are Creator, You are also so intimate and personal. Thank You.
Thank You that You actually protected me from myself. I would have attempted to speak for You, but You knew the temptation to record the applause was present.
Thank You for calling me into writing. It’s been a wild twenty-plus year journey. All because You established what I committed.
You deserve all the applause I can muster, always. Thank You.
Amen.
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