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?    

The Way of Wisdom

"Wisdom has built her house;

she has set up its seven pillars.

She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.

She has sent out her servants, and she calls

from the highest point of the city,

'Let all who are simple come to my house!'

To those who have no sense she says,

'Come, eat my food

and drink the wine I have mixed.

Leave your simple ways and you will live;

walk in the way of insight."

Proverbs 9:1-6

There are so many voices calling out to me, luring me down varying paths promised to bring good things.  These messages sound beneficial at times, make sense, seem right.  How do I know if I'm on the right track?  Here is one way:

Correction.  It can be hard to hear.  I like to think I'm pretty smart, clever enough to choose the right way.  I'm not as good as I think, however.  I'm often off-base in my thinking, or what I cling to as truth is actually far from it, or the ways I've learned to cope with the ups and downs of life is not God's best for me.  How do I respond when a loving voice gently corrects me, showing me a better way, suggesting I might not have it right?

It's easy to be offended when I hear words of criticism, no matter how gentle.  Most people have been in the position of trying to offer words of advice or help someone else see the error of their ways and found themselves in the middle of a heated argument.  Heels are dug in, defenses raised, the nails come out and teeth are barred in preparation for a fight!  Then there are the rare times when the rebuke is received with thanks, and my words of suggestion are considered and treasured as vital to their growth.

Which category do I fall into?  Am I quick to defend my choices, refusing to even ponder the thought that I might be wrong?  Or do I gladly take direction from others, adopting a teachable spirit that believes there is always something new to learn?  The first is that of the foolish, the latter marks the wise (Proverbs 9:7-9).

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm willing to accept instruction with great joy.

Attitude toward God.  He's the big guy upstairs.  He won't mind if I indulge; He knows I can't resist.  What can God do to help me?  Even He can't change a woman like me; I'm beyond saving.  It's up to me to find the answers.  Who am I that God would help a little guy like me?

It's easy to develop a low view of God, not seeing Him as He really is.  As I go through life and hear varying messages, I'm often swayed into giving God less and less respect.  While He is above all things, sovereign over all creation, powerful enough to speak the world into existence yet gentle enough to direct the lives of even the smallest of sparrows, I often relegate Him to nothing more than an impotent Grandfatherly type, an observing-yet-uninvolved far-away Being (Matthew 10:29-31).  I fail to revere Him as Almighty God, Maker of heaven and earth, Giver and Taker of life, the very Reason for my existence and the Center of all things.

I'm on the right track in life, following the way of wisdom, if I'm learning to respect God in all of His glory (Proverbs 9:10a).

Knowledge of God.  I live in the age of information.  There is a surplus of data waiting for me to gather it, a plethora of facts to peruse, a bunch of trivia with which to amuse myself.  I could spend every spare moment collecting knowledge.  But how much time do I spend getting to know God?  While it's not my intention to lay a burden of guilt on my shoulders, my desire (or lack of it) to grow closer to God and gain understanding of His ways is a good indicator of which direction I'm heading in life.  

If I'm more concerned with learning how to stem global warming, invest money, plant a successful garden, or a million other worthwhile interests, yet rarely wonder about God, wanting to find out more about His infinite character, it's time to take pause.  If I've developed a hunger for God and His Word, looking forward to each moment I spend with Him as He teaches me more about His deep ways, I'm headed in the right direction.  May I ask God to open the eyes of my heart so I will see all the blessings that are mine in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:16-21) and desire to know more each day.

I'm on the right track, following the way of wisdom, if I'm seeking knowledge of God (Proverbs 9:10b).

It's sometimes hard to know if I'm headed in the right direction.  With all of the choices available to me, I just might be gullible enough to be swayed into taking the wrong path or hard-headed enough to stick to the one that leads away from God's best for me.  How do I know?  There are many signs, but if I'm willing to accept correction, learning to revere God, and hungry for more knowledge of God, chances are I'm headed in the way of life.  It's not popular to walk the way of wisdom, but the heavenly treasure I find there is worth every struggle.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can value godly wisdom above worldly knowledge. 

When do I seek to grow my intellect but fail to cultivate my knowledge of God?

How am I showing disrespect for God in the way I think of Him or refer to Him in conversation?