As I rambled through my garage this morning, a Bible Study jumped out at me. It was a busy day, so I decided, "Okay, God, I am studying this Book of the Bible and listening to an audiobook on this character. I will definitely come back to it."
*side-eye 🤨
I'm not sure why I thought I was in charge of my day, but I clearly had it wrong. This was not an instruction that could be obeyed with a delay. This was an instruction that needed my attention immediately.
You see. God had been doing a work in my heart. It was not a work that I was particularly enjoying, if I might add☺, but it was a work that more and more I was learning was so very needed.
God had begun to point out how I respond when things do not go as planned.
Not only that, He began to show me how I respond when things do not go "my" way.
I'm here to tell you that it gets ugly.
So, I began to take notice.
I realized my first reaction when my plan changes or is denied is internal.
My first reaction takes place in my mind.
I noticed how rejection is immediately felt if my plans are denied.
I also noticed that if my day just seem to not go as planned, I immediately try to grasp control, and when I can't, I begin to feel feelings of frustration.
My mind would begin to race when things are not aligning with my initial plan.
The thing about the mind is that it is bold enough to take the lead.
It will lead our actions, words, thoughts, and day.
When my mind realizes that things are not going in a way that I can maintain control, it begins to alert me.
Almost as if it is screaming, "this is not the way we planned, nor is it the way we normally do things."
This lack of control that I would feel when my plan fails or when I couldn't execute "my" plan was significantly impacting my heart.
It's impressive because although I've passed some tests, this continues to be an ongoing lesson in my life (*deep sigh).
It keeps showing up in a different way each time, and for every new way, I keep failing the test, y'all!
The best thing about this is that Professor Jesus keeps letting me retake the test.
It's never the same test because He doesn't want me to cheat, and He wants me to notice the many ways this can show up in my life, but He keeps giving me a chance.
God takes us through things to break those things that are no longer needed off of us, and He's patient. He will keep "testing" us in that area until we are ready to shake that particular "baggage" loose. Everything cannot go with us into the new season or place that is destined for our life.
So if you are facing a particular scenario repeatedly, God is working in you to prepare you for where He's trying to take you.
So, this particular morning, this test showed up again in my life. The way God was instructing me was not the way that I had planned my day.
I was battling with adding one more thing to my list.
I was also going back and forth because I had already completed this Bible Study and read these chapters; why would God instruct me to begin again?
I did not have time for this on an already super busy day!
Yet, amid my struggle.
God had given me instructions.
"Just Do It."
Even if it makes no sense.
Die to self.
Die to my way.
Die to people's opinions.
"Just Do It."
When you have ideas or an urge to do something, that is not the way you initially planned, do you question the validity and worth of completing that task, or do you march forward and just do it?
I hope we all "March" forward into this month with boldness and courage to say yes to the right opportunities, knock on the doors that we want to enter, seek the answers we need to move forward, walk through every door designed for us to enter, and trust the detours along the way. It may not go as we planned but it will go as God has planned and that's comforting to know.
Let's be committed to trusting His way. ❤️
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