“Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all” —1 Chronicles 29:11(NRSV).
When I look outside the east windows in my new residence, I see a vast array of trees, akin to a jungle. My previous backyard view was a wide-open field, sparsely populated with trees. This change of scenery during a new chapter of my life is welcome.
At times, however, I find myself wondering what God is up to that He would lead me back home, especially when it was not my plan. While I’d been seeking His will for my life, I was quite content living in the community where I had resided since 2005. I’ve learned, however, that God’s plans are always best, even when we question His direction.
I wasn’t always good at following directions, especially God’s. I wanted things my way. I wanted my plans to fall into place with the square pegs fitting into my neatly ordered life. I didn’t have time to consult God.
What happens when we don’t seek God’s will for our lives? We are stuck. Stuck in the past. Stuck in unforgiveness. Stuck in captivity.
Until we allow Jesus to set us free, we only exist. We drift from one thing to another, one job to another, one relationship to another, trying to figure out life on our own. When we surrender to Him, He opens our eyes to His truth.
In scripture we read about the plans of many that were changed after meeting Jesus. In fact, their lives were turned upside down after meeting Him. The Apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul, would agree for it was on the road to Damascus that his views were changed in a dramatic way.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, Paul writes, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”
Paul’s view changed when his eyes were opened by the Living Christ.
Called by Jesus, the 12 disciples dropped everything, leaving behind their families and livelihoods to follow Him. The scenery changed. So did their views. When the risen Christ approached their boat after they’d had an unsuccessful night of fishing, He told them to drop their nets on the right side. When they obeyed, their nets overflowed with fish.
Author Elisabeth Elliot once said, “The will of God is not something you add to your life. It’s a course you choose. You either line yourself up with the Son of God…or you capitulate to the principle which governs the rest of the world.”
Are you actively seeking God’s will?