Quandary

I was in a quandary yesterday...having to make a decision about giving up or keeping a dear and sentimental item....my dad's wedding ring. I wrestled with it and prayed on it all day....as I was worked on a project at the bay. That is a pretty good place for me to fight things out within. The smells, the cool breeze the rough waters splashing up over the bulkhead... The thing about wresting with situations like that is self just wants so much to be the ultimate voice...and then God's whisper of "what is right and what is important"... gets squeezed out by all of the racket that the self centered voice is making. Until finally, with great determination I just turn down the self volume and seek God's voice. I found that there in lies my problem. Too many times I allow my self to be conceived by the self vs selfless debate and lean towards what I want instead of what God would want.

"What would Jesus do?" Oh we have heard that phrase time and time again....but really how many times do we give Christ a true opportunity to voice his whispers in the thoughts of our mind. And when He finally is able to get through the party line ...too many times I disregard his input because I have allowed self to be too dominant. But yesterday was different....a great example for me to remember...because I consciously did ask and was watching for God's steps...and depending on HIm to direct me according to his will...and override my own.

1) I asked for help Psalm 27:7
Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
2) Christ let all thoughts, good and bad, come in loud and clear...it was a mess in there.. I went through every possible scenario...from how much does this really mean to why should I be the one to give in...(yuck).... to it is only a something....that sits in a drawer..valued in sentiment only...oh but how I attach myself to sentiments
3) and as the day went on..the thoughts calmed down...and I could see that Christ was taking his rightful place of authority and helping me to let go of my tightly held grip
4) Then as last he placed on me not only his attitude towards "things" but placed the thought upon my mind that asked what would my dad had wanted me to do...and I knew immediately what the honorable answer should be. It wasn't about the ring it was about unity...at all costs....no matter how much the sacrifice.
5) And by evening ...my hands and heart were open to do his will

Making Godly decisions is a process...that obviously God has to be invited to participate in. But is is strangely peaceful when I finally allow God the freedom to dominate my life. I don't know about you but wrestling back and forth wears me out...not to mention that it is just wasted energy ....that could be being used for something positive.

God does see when we are wrestling with things and situations of significance and insignificance. But what I have to remember is true significance lies in people and relationships not in things. I get so off track sometimes in this area. I was glad I prayed through this as I did...for it kept me sort of on a lookout tower watching...and waiting ... as I knew Christ would unfold his ultimate decision. The thing about Christ is he is gentle ...so gentle in his approach. He understands the human heart and understands the emotions that so often times tie us into knots...but he also knows just how to unravel them. I just have to be willing to honestly lay my ways, and all my stuff (not hanging onto a piece of it here and there) down before him and wait for him to guide my next move. And then be willing to actively "move" in that guided direction.

Psalm 86:7
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.

Gosh this sounds like such a trite example but we all wrestle with one things or another...and hold tight to things that we tend to find security in. But God wants us to us to find our security in His son, Jesus, not in things and other people and comfort of situations. When we depend on anything other than Christ for security we are selling out to the master of manipulation.....whose conceived lies and misguided concepts are spun according to the worlds' view and not God's view. It is when we pursue God's ways that we ultimately are at peace with ourselves and with others.

I think the questions that find their way to the surface are not so much What would Jesus do? But is what I am doing the honorable thing to do...is it glorifying to God? Are my thoughts and decisions reflecting the Christ that I worship and follow? The answers are simply "yes" or "no"....and all the stuff in between just doesn't matter...the self guided reasons, the self conceived rationales, the self centered thoughts...none of that holds any real truth!

The point of this devotional is to remember that when you are wrestling with anything, be it great or small...ask God for his answer...then stand at the watch tower to see how he plays His thoughts out in your mind. It is pretty wonderful to see how he gently holds our hand of reason and pulls us to himself, helping us to change our focus from self to Him. Christ's actions towards us are generated always by a deep and unfathomable love that he has for us... and genuine concern for our wholeness....in mind and body and spirit. In anything if we wholeheartedly seek Him... he will subtly reconstruct our thoughts from our earthly lows to His heavenly highs.

Dear Lord, Thank you for picking up when I call...and for guiding me through the tangled thoughts that I allow to get all mixed up in my head. Help me to learn to come to you before I get tangled...and lead me through your love and understanding so that I may honor you in all that I do. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!