I guess the essential question is: Can one really put their life in the hands of the Lord? To some limited degree, I can honestly say I know the effects of trying to give my life to Christ. Exhilaration is a word that comes to mind and that’s because there is an emotional aspect associated with a real effort. It’s the effort that compels me to ask the question. Is it possible for you, me, anyone, to really get inside of what putting your life in the hands of the Lord really means? For now, I can only share what I think.
The obstacles that stand in the way of making a concerted effort are for some huge and obvious; for others they can be subtle and almost indiscernible. For example, pride can get in the way because pride has no place in your relationship with God. It should follow then, that pride has no place in your relationship with your fellow man either. To pride you can add envy, jealousy, vanity, greed, lust, selfishness and bitterness just to name a few more impediments to that honest effort I’m talking about. They all can get in the way of trying to let God order your steps in His Word. In sports, you always hear, it’s not whether you fall or fail, it’s what you do after that counts. Failing is an integral part of the game. I just know falling and failing are also parts of the true Christian experience. Time and again we fail. Time and again we fall. Is it possible in the context of your life to get up and try again? I believe it’s what God expects and certainly desires for you and me.
Many of us want to rely on our own abilities and talents to solve our problems, cure our addictions, or figure our way out of today’s dilemma. We also routinely pass judgement, think and act as if we’re better than others and if we’re truthful with ourselves, give God no credit for the many blessings we have. It (life) is easy to blame for our predicaments. I’m just saying try and put it all in the hands of the Lord. It’s that let go let God thing. Submit first and then listen to what God has to say. Without a conscious deliberate effort to submit, you cannot hear God’s voice. Personally, I believe Satan shouts. God whispers. If you’ve ever been whispered to, then you know you have to pay attention and block out the extraneous to hear what someone is trying to tell only you. You can be anywhere and hear what someone is trying to tell you. As a parent you can hear your child’s voice in a crowded room, in a park or on a playground full of other children. As such, I believe if we make the effort, we can all hear God’s direction for our lives. There is a singularity to hearing God’s Word. He is specific and particular in what He says to you as opposed to what He says to me. I believe once you hear Him, the reaction is like finally seeing that optical illusion you’ve been trying so hard to figure out; once you see it, you can’t not see it anymore. The same is true for others around you. What’s my word? Exhilarating! Now you know others who are making that honest effort also.
Failure is a byproduct of all of our efforts. Remember it’s all about the sincere effort. The saved make it over and over again. And for the most part, I want to believe they succeed. The reality is failure makes us all stronger and success is but an effort and a submission away. It’s not about one failure at a time but one success at a time. And therein lies the answer to my initial question. May God bless and keep you always.
James, @dallasweekly.com