Real Answers

"Heal me, O LORD,

and I will be healed;

save me

and I will be saved,

for you are the one I praise."

Jeremiah 17:14

Self-help books line the shelves at the local bookstore.  Advice on how to get through any difficulty can be found all around me.  Experts are eager to share their methods of restoration or treatment for a wide variety of disorders, sicknesses, relationship problems, ailments or difficulties.  Relief can come from many sources.

Relief, but not peace.  Alleviation, but not healing.  A Band-Aid, but not a cure.

How can I find lasting peace, healing and a genuine cure for the issues that plague me?  


God.  

When I allow God to have access to my life, giving it over to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, the work He accomplishes in my life will be authentic, powerful and enduring.

Allow Him

Have you ever tried to make a 2-year-old eat his peas, use the toilet, or go to sleep?  If you have, you know it boils down to a battle of the wills. My will against his will.  I can't make him do any of these things.  I can make him stay at the table, sit on the potty and lay in his bed, but I can't force him to eat, go to the bathroom or fall asleep.  He must bend his will to mine in order for compliance to occur.

It is the same with me and God.  He can't force me to do anything because He created me with my own ability to desire and choose for myself.  If I don't yield to Him, He can't have access to my life.  If He did try to force His way on me, He would only succeed in my stubborn will pushing back against His.  And although His will is much stronger than mine, He is a loving and gracious God who waits for me to surrender to Him before He works in my life.

When I allow God the right of entry into my heart, He will accomplish mighty works never before experienced in my existence.  A changed heart. . .a healed hurt. . .a restored relationship. . .the way of salvation. . .

If I want real change to happen in my life, it will only come from bending my will to God's, and allowing Him to have His way.

Seek Him

My husband has a buddy who is preparing for his first bodybuilding show.  His friends and family are telling him that he needs to step up the cardio training if he wants to be ready in time but he insists that he'll be prepared.  When he looks in the mirror, he is not seeing what everyone else is seeing.  He is only seeing what he wants to see.

It's the same with me.  I can look at myself or my situation and only see what I want to see.  If I focus on the negative, I will only see the harmful and destructive things happening around me.  

If I concentrate on my own abilities, I will think victory depends on me.  

If I home in on my accomplishments, I will see my success and position in life as a result of my effort.

God is a jealous God.  As my Creator, He belongs in the highest position of importance in my life. But it is easy to let other things creep into that top position.  When this happens, I fail to recognize His hand in my life.  

The Israelites were no different in their struggles with this kind of rebellion against God's rightful position.  In fact, God gave this message to the prophet Ezekiel regarding His chosen ones.  ". . .you are living among a rebellious people.  They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people."  (Ezekiel 12:2)

When I seek God, I will find Him.  And when I find Him, I will see the world around me with new eyes. . . eyes that are focused on Him and His wonders! 

If I truly want to see the reality of God's continuous work in all the details of my life, I have to look with new eyes.  

Wait for Him

I love keeping track of the weather forecasts.  There is something about knowing what kind of conditions I can expect for the day that makes me happy.  I do notice, however, that no man can truly predict whether or not it will rain, for instance, with 100% accuracy.  God set the planet into motion in a predictable way, allowing scientists to study patterns and correctly guess how things will turn out based on their data, but God is still in control.  

He could throw a wrench into those expectations by making it snow when rain was expected.  Or He could turn a hurricane over the ocean when everyone was expecting it to continue over land.  Or He could calm a stormy sea with a single command. 

Life is no different than the weather.  I may think I will get a certain outcome if I take a certain step, but all things are under God's dominion.  I may have an order in which I want events to occur, but God is in charge of the timing.  I may think I have God mostly figured out, but then He throws me a curve ball.

Once again, God used Ezekiel to address this issue of His sovereignty with His people. God said, "Son of man (Ezekiel), the house of Israel is saying, 'The vision he sees is for many years from now, and he prophesies about the distant future.'  Therefore say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: None of my words will be delayed any long; whatever I say will be fulfilled, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"  (Ezekiel 12:27-28) 

I can't predict the timing of any events in my life, nor can I control them.  Instead, God holds the position of authority over my life and it is better if I wait for Him and His timing.  After all, who knows the mind of God or understands His ways?

If I want to live a life of inner peace it will only happen if I wait on Him and trust Him for His timing.  

I can find relief or remedies from many different sources.  But if I want real answers, I must allow God access to my heart, seek Him so I can see all the good He is doing around me, and wait on His perfect timing for all things.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will seek the real answers that come from knowing God on a personal level.

When do I turn to other sources for a quick fix?

How do I betray my impatience in the way I fail to wait for God to provide my needs or solve my problems?