Apart from God's Favor

"Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah

son of Jehoiada the priest.

He stood before the people and said,

'This is what God says:

"Why do you disobey the LORD's commands?

You will not prosper.

Because you have forsaken the LORD,

he has forsaken you."'"

2 Chronicles 24:20

I can't earn it, don't deserve it and can't explain it.  But apart from it, I cannot succeed (John 15:5).  Through faith in Jesus I have the unmerited favor of God.  What happens, though, when I go out on my own?

Can't Prosper.  I just don't get it.  I took all the proper steps, did everything I was advised to do, but nothing is clicking.  Do you ever feel like that?  I have many times in my life.  A number of years ago I remember attending a seminar I heard advertised on the radio.  I was a stay-at-home mom at the time who was homeschooling her children but didn't think that was enough.  I had this desire to be more.  I felt this pressure from the world to do something "worthwhile."  So, when I had the opportunity to learn a skill that would allow me to work from home, I jumped on it.

I studied vigilantly, trying hard to balance teaching my children, caring for my family and home with learning new material and taking tests.  Once I earned the certificate, I couldn't find work.  Despite my best efforts, I just couldn't succeed.  Finally I turned to the Lord, seeking His guidance.  He spoke to my heart and gave me peace with my roles as wife, mom, homemaker and teacher.  I then saw the foolishness of my actions.

I can't blaze my own trail in life and then ask God to bless it.  Instead, I must find the path He has marked out for me and follow that with diligence (Hebrews 12:1-2).  Only then I will find true success as defined by Him.  Obedience to His calling on my life brings with it a sense of worth that cannot be found anywhere else.  And if I want to know what it means to prosper in God's kingdom, I must be following behind my Shepherd who clears the path before me.

I can't taste prosperity, kingdom-style, apart from the favor of God.

Sacrifice Peace.  Buddhism is an entire religion based on the quest for peace and happiness.  It is a Buddhist's belief that these highly-sought benefits can be obtained through positive thinking and meditation.  In truth, though, peace can never be found apart from Jesus Christ and only living in relationship with Him will bring true contentment (John 16:33).

When I seek my own way, trying to live life according to my own set of rules, standards and guidelines, I will give up the sense of calm serenity that rules my heart in Christ.  When I instead walk by my Shepherd's side I will encounter heartache, face opposition and meet unfair treatment, but He will assure me of His presence.  With Jesus at my side I have nothing to fear (Isaiah 43:1-3).

I can't taste peace apart from the favor of God.

Live without Assurance.  Life is complex and I am faced with dozens of choices every day.  There are tons of ways to live, many of them quite positive and constructive.  I can allow lots of influences that seem so beneficial into my life.  I will never know for sure if the decisions I make are right, however, without the wisdom that comes from God.

James, the half-brother of Jesus, said if I need to know what to do I can ask the Lord who liberally and generously dispenses wisdom for living (James 1:5-8).  There is a catch, however.  When I ask, I must truly believe He is the sole source of the insight for living I so desperately need.

If I want to know which job to take, I can rely on Him to guide me toward His choice for me.  If I don't know how to handle a sticky situation, I can trust Him to lead me step-by-step through every twist and turn.  If I'm facing a life-altering choice, I can believe that He has blazed a way through the maze of options, making clear the path He has prepared for me to follow.  

I can't taste the assurance of a life well-lived apart from the favor of God.

There is no denying it: I am dependent upon the favor of God.  I receive this gift of grace simply, through faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.  Whenever I go off on my own, however, leaving His gentle side, I find true prosperity that lasts an eternity impossible to grasp, peace as a fleeting benefit, and the assurance of choices well-made flying out the window.  Apart from the favor of God, I simply cannot thrive.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can live life in tandem with Jesus.

How am I often going off on my own, forsaking God's wise counsel?

When do I forget to seek His wisdom and instead rely on what sounds good to me? 

Breach of Faith

"Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD;

he did not keep the word of the LORD

and even consulted a medium for guidance,

and did not inquire of the LORD.

So the LORD put him to death

and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse."

1 Chronicles 10:14

His unfaithfulness was obvious.  He disobeyed then tried to justify his defiance toward the God who put him on the throne.  (1 Samuel 15:1-9)  Instead of relying on God's guidance, he turned to a medium when he was in a tight spot.  (1 Samuel 28:3-25)  In place of seeing God as sovereign and just, he treated Him as if He could easily be ignored and put off.

My unfaithfulness may not be as blatantly obvious as that of Saul's but it is no less serious.  How do I offend God's jealous nature and His supreme authority in the way I live my life?  I may be surprised.

Lean on my own understanding.  I know the words well because they are one of the most popular and well-memorized portions of scripture.  "Love the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  I've meditated on the meaning of this verse, thought about it's significance to the Christian walk, and discussed it's merits with other believers.  When facing everyday challenges, however, I don't always put it into practice.

The moment my health turns South I run to the doctor and seek medical advice for how to preserve my vigor and remove my pain.  I love God but figure this is out of His realm.  After all, I justify, doctors are there to heal the sick.  While God can use doctors to bring about a cure, it is ultimately the Lord who is in control.  I would be wise to then place my confidence more in Him then on modern medicine.

As soon as I experience money issues I rely on what I know and am able to comprehend, looking for all the input I can find on how to remedy my difficulties.  Instead of trusting God to lead me through these rough waters I look for ways to circumvent the hardships, forgetting that He has promised to use everything I face for my good and His glory.  

When the circumstances of my life don't make sense leading me to wonder what kind of plan God might have for me, I offend His mysterious and lofty ways in my insistence on being able to see every detail of the plan before I will take a step forward.  Walking by faith means I'll have to leave the "how" in His capable hands, letting Him lead me one tiny step at a time.  

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I fail to recognize His presence in and control over every single aspect of my life.

Double-minded.  I believe God is the One with the plan for my life.  I tell people that He is in control and that I trust Him.  I think He is the source of all the wisdom I need.  However, as soon as I face perplexing times, my actions show that I believe guidance can come from other sources.

If I am to receive the wisdom I need today, I must put all my eggs in His basket, believing that all other sources of wisdom fall short (James 1:5-8).  I often doubt His resources, however, believing in my heart that there are some areas where I need advice apart from Him.  When my budget needs tweaking, for instance, I ask God for help but tend to believe the answers really lie with the financial experts I hear in popular circles.  

People are quick to give me advice about my career and although I say I trust God, I often choose the route that will lead to the most benefit for me instead of believing God has a specific path laid out for me to follow that will bring Him ultimate glory. 

I also ask God for wisdom in how to spend my time but would rather take the advice of efficiency experts.  After all, I rationalize, God wants me to maximize my time, right?

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I don't really believe that God has all the answers to every problem I face.

Losing heart.  I got tired of waiting, desiring to see results instead of hearing promises.  Therefore, I ran ahead, attempting to make things happen so I could feel good about the progress I made.  Waiting might work for someone else, but I'm a woman of action.  Now is as good a time as any to make my life amount to something, I think.  After all, God helps those who help themselves!

This foolish thought process leads me to make foolish decisions, choosing any action over waiting in an attempt to keep from looking passive or lazy.  Waiting can be difficult because it feels weak.  I'd rather be actively working toward a goal than sitting around waiting for something to happen.

In God's kingdom, however, I must remember that He's the One with the plan and only He knows the route I will take to get to where He wants me to go.  Therefore, if I try to make things happen in order to avoid inaction, I risk getting off-track.  Once I'm outside of His will, dependent upon my own strength, discouragement sets in as my limited resources run dry. I will never run out of steam, however, if I put all my hope in God, expecting to see His plan unfold in His time (Isaiah 40:31).

I am just as unfaithful as Saul was when I blaze my own trail in an effort to avoid any delays or idleness.

I may not be as blatantly unfaithful as Saul turned out to be, but I do offend God by not totally trusting him in my own way.  I do this by depending more on what I can comprehend than on the incomprehensible mind of God, putting up pretenses that I am seeking God's wisdom when really I want something more palatable, or choosing action over waiting on God's perfect timing.  In so doing, I am showing a breach of my professed faith in a faithful God.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will trust God completely in all my ways.

When do I stray away from Him because I don't feel like waiting around for His answers to be revealed?

How does this impatience result in discouragement?

Double Minded

"If any of you lacks wisdom,

let him ask God,

who gives generously to all without reproach,

and it will be given him.

But let him ask in faith,

with no doubting,

for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea

that is driven and tossed by the wind.

For that person must not suppose

that he will receive anything from the Lord;

he is a double-minded man,

unstable in all his ways."

James 1:5-8 ESV

Waves crashed around the mighty ship, threatening to take her under the dark waters.  Still, she steamed forward toward her destination, her forward progress not hampered by the surf.  In contrast, a nearby vessel with less integrity and strength took a beating from the storm.  No matter how hard her Skipper tried to keep her on course, she was tossed around by the waves like a toy boat in a bathtub full of rambunctious toddlers.

I'm like that second ship when I doubt.  I am always seeking God's will for my life, wanting to know which direction I should go next.  The problem, however, lies with what happens in my mind.  I don't always ask with a humble heart, ready to hear whatever He tells me.  Sometimes I've ruled some things out before God even speaks, thinking there's no way I could do such a thing, like forgive an enemy, speak to a group of people or step outside my area of expertise.

I can't expect an answer when I hold onto doubt.  This uncertainty takes on many forms, each as malicious as the other.

Contradiction

I remember watching Zoom on PBS when I was growing up.  One of the regular features on the show was a mysterious character named Fannee Doolee.  She loved anything with double letters, but hated whatever did not, even if it was the same thing.  For instance, Fannee Doolee loves sweets but hates candy, or she loves trees but hates forests.  Basically, she was a walking contradiction.

While Fannee Doolee might inspire kids (and adults) to think creatively, she would drive me nuts if she were a real person.  As silly as she sounds, though, I sometimes act just as irrationally in the way I live my life.  On the one hand I say that God can do anything and that nothing is impossible with Him, but then I go against what I just proclaimed by doubting He can use me in the way He suggests.

In this way, I am a walking contradiction, proclaiming one thing with my mouth yet not quite grasping hold of it in my way of thinking.  Jesus reminds me of the importance of faith when making an appeal to God.  He said I can command a mountain to throw itself in the sea and it will happen if I believe it will come to pass, without doubting.  (Mark 11:22-24)

Doubt leads to a contradictory spirit that cannot hear from God.

Waver

The little lambs followed their beloved shepherd, listening to his gentle voice as he lovingly led them to the green pastures.  Suddenly a different sound accosted their ears; one that seemed quiet and calm but this voice evoked a different response.  The heartbeats of the little lambs beat furiously within their chests and they began to panic, unsure whether or not their shepherd was still there.  Maybe he had abandoned them in favor of another herd.  Perhaps he left them in the care of this new master.  They grew confused and wavered in their mind.

While these sheep knew their leader's voice, the sound of another, similar, shepherd caused them to question.  I do the same thing.  Jesus is my Good Shepherd and I recognize His voice. (John 10:14)  Sometimes, though, I begin to get confused when I listen to other, quite similar voices guiding me in a different direction.  Instead of going where Jesus leads me, I begin to doubt, wondering if maybe that other voice is really the one I should be following.

It's not so much that I intentionally turn away from God as I am lured away by a deceiving spirit that sounds deceptively similar.  Then, I lose my confidence in my ability to pick out my Lord's voice.  I begin to question, Maybe I'm just hearing my own thoughts or wishes; Is Satan playing games with me, disguising himself as God? 

Doubt leads me to waver until I can no longer distinguished God's voice.

Control

He was determined to get his own way and he would stay on the floor crying and carrying on until he lost his voice if that was what it took.  It wasn't really about the candy; this toddler wanted to gain control over his life.  Tempter tantrums can be effective tools for preschoolers, and sometimes even for adults!  If I put up enough of a fuss, people will get tired of my antics and gladly welcome the peace that comes with compromise.

When I try to use this same tactic with God, however, it backfires.  I cannot expect to get my way and desire His will at the same time:  Either I get to be god of my own life, or I let Jesus hold that position.  How many times do I betray my doubt in God's sovereign plan by insisting on keeping the reigns of my life firmly grasped within my fists?

Doubt leads me to seek control so that I cannot hear from God about His plan.

How often I ask God to reveal His plan for my life but I harbor doubt within my mind.  This disbelief comes out when my uncertainty in God as everything I proclaim Him to be is revealed in the way I doubt.  Listening to other voices also throws me off until I can no longer recognize God's voice in the fray.   Finally, everyone can see who is really lord of my life by whose plan I am following.  In these ways I am double-minded and easily thrown off course.  Instead, it is my desire to be wholly focused on Jesus as my Lord.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can stop thinking two ways and completely surrender to God.

How does my doubt lead to confusion in trying to hear God's voice?

When do I think my situation is the exception to the rule that nothing is impossible with God?