Lessons of Life

"I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own.

We are not able to plan our own course.

So correct me, LORD, but please be gentle.

Do not correct me in anger,

for I would die."

Jeremiah 10:23-24 NLT

Life is often a struggle, isn't it?  I don't know about you, but I often feel like a tiny boat tossed around by the waves of life.  As we share life together, let's take a moment to learn some lessons from the prophet Jeremiah's godly heart.

Ownership.  It's my life to do with as I please, to live as I see fit.  I want to do it my way, to make decisions, to take charge, and in fact have learned that this is my responsibility so that I can live conscientiously.  If things don't seem to be moving along at the pace I desire or in the direction I want, I think I need to step in and make things happen.  I only have one life to live so I want to make sure it goes the way I think it should.

In reality, my life is not my own to direct by my own understanding and faulty perspective (Proverbs 3:5-6, 14:12).  Instead, as a child of God through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, I've been bought by His blood (John 1:12, Romans 2:4, Acts 2:38) .  Now my life belongs to Him and it honors Him and is my highest form of worship when I relinquish control and hand Him the reigns (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, Romans 12:1).  When I do, I'll find myself doing things I never dreamed I'd do, accomplishing goals that didn't come from me, and having an eternal impact in the lives of others (Ephesians 3:20, Jeremiah 29:11).  

Jeremiah learned that his life is not his own, and he passed the lesson on to me.

Course-setter.  I'm the captain of my destiny and my life is what I make it to be.  If I want to make something of my life, to leave a legacy and leave my mark in this world, I'm responsible for generating a motivating passion and maintaining a vision of where I think I should go.  Once I've decided upon my destination, I set my own course and formulate a plan for how to reach that goal.  If I want to live a successful life I must take the the bull by the horns and create my own opportunities.  I only have one life to live so I must do all I can to make the most of it.

In reality, the blueprint for my life is in God's hands, not my own (Psalm 40:5, 139:16).  Therefore, if I want to live the life He planned for me to live and do all the wonderful things He long-prepared for me to do, I must stick close to Him, staying in constant contact and cooperating with His transformation process (Ephesians 2:10, John 15:5, Isaiah 55:1-3) .  As He changes the way I think and alters my perspective, I see more from His point of view and can know what He wants me to do with my life and how to move forward as I encounter all sorts of situations (Romans 12:2).

Jeremiah learned that God is the one who sets the course for his life, and he passed the lesson on to me.

Discipline.  I think I'm doing well, that I've learned from my mistakes and have made the appropriate corrections.  I'm so much better than I used to be, surely God is proud of my progress and will let me rest for awhile, give me a chance to catch my breath and enjoy the fruit of my labors.  I only have one life to live and it was meant to be enjoyed.

In reality, God is much more concerned with my character than with my well-being, security and happiness.  In the words of a young missionary on the cusp of a long stint in a dark place, "God never promised to be my comfortable God but my provider God."  While I may deceive myself into thinking He would never purposefully allows hardship and trouble into my life, the reality is that His doing so is the mark of belonging to Him as His legitimate child (Hebrews 12:8, Romans 5:3-5).  If God didn't love me, He would leave me as I am.  But His love drives Him to constantly work to shape me into the image of His Son, a process that lasts a lifetime and often involves suffering and adversity (Romans 8:28-29, Philippians 1:6).

Jeremiah learned that God is a loving Father who disciplines His children, and he passed the lesson on to me.

Life is hard, and it can be difficult to negotiate its rocky path, especially as a follower of Christ.  No one knew the cost of obedience more than the prophet Jeremiah so I'd be wise to learn the lessons he left behind for all of mankind.  I can realize my life belongs to God from the moment I gave up ownership through repentance and faith in Christ, that He sets the course for my days, and that discipline is part of the package-deal.  These are the lessons that will help me run my race for the glory of God so that I won't lose heart and give up before I reach the finish line!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to stop trying to control my own life.

When do I resist His course corrections?

How am I afraid to let God have complete control?