Putting Our Plans Before God

"So David asked God, 'Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?' The Lord replied, 'Yes, go ahead. I will hand them over to you.'" -1 Chronicle 14:10 NLT

 

Do you know the best way to plan for the future? Is there any way to ensure we're making the best decisions we can? 

When we're about to make a big decision, or any decision for that matter, it's a good idea to ask God about them. The types of decisions we make in our 20s can chart the course of the rest of our lives. Therefore, it's wise to get a heavenly perspective! 

One of the ways we can consult God about our decisions is through prayer. When David prayed to God, God answered him. But, we shouldn't assume that God answered our prayers the same way he did the first time. When David consulted God again for a subsequent battle, God told him something different. "And once again David asked God what to do. 'Do not attack them straight on,' God replied. 'Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar trees. When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, go out and attack! That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army.'" (1 Chronicles 14:14&15) This is why it is so crucial that we continue to consult our Heavenly Father in every step we take. 

Another way to put our plans before God is to put them before trusted people who know God and have walked the path we are going to take themselves. In the book of Proverbs it says, "Plans go wrong for lack of advice; many advisers bring success." (Proverbs 15:22) Do you know anyone who can speak spiritually into your life? Don't be afraid to ask for perspective from others - often this can save us danger and hardship down the road. 

Do you put your plans before God? Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Paths of Righteousness

"The LORD says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" -Psalm 32:8 NLT

 

Did you know that when we develop habits or thought patterns, we actually begin to create a "rut" in our brains?* That's why habits can become so hard to undo! It's also the reason addictions can be so difficult to break free from. 

But, when we chose to live for God, He promises to lead us along the best pathways for our lives. All of this involves learning how to make good choices, have good habits, good boundaries, and live a peace-filled, love-filled, joy-filled life, serving Him. 

When I was younger, I had a lot of depression, and a poor self-image. I couldn't understand why anyone would like me! But when I started learning more about God and what He thought about me, I realized I didn't need other people's approval to feel secure. In effect, God was re-wiring my brain to have a more accurate understanding of how He saw me and how He made me. And what a difference it made! Some of this involved un-wiring the lies the enemy had placed in my mind, and replacing the negative thought patterns with God's truth. When I discovered the roots of these beliefs and allowed God to fill them, I didn't struggle with depression any longer. 

Are there any negative thought patterns or paths the enemy has led you down? Ask God to heal your heart and mind so that you can experience a greater level of His love and peace. God desires that we align our minds with His. 

"He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name." -Ps 23:2-3 NLT

*For more on this, see Paul Hegstrom's book, Broken Children, Grown Up Pain.

God Uses a Reject

"Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior. His father was Gilead; his mother was a prostitute." -Judges 11:1

There is an incredible story in the Bible about a very unlikely leader.

Jephthah was a man who was the illegitimate son of his father Gilead.  His brothers drove him away and said to Jephthah, “You are not going to get any inheritance in our family, because you are the son of another woman.”

Rejected and humiliated, Jephthah fled from his family to a place called Tob.

During this time, Israel has been unfaithful to God, worshipping other idols. At this the Lord became angry, and he sold them to their enemies the Philistines and the Ammonites.  (10:7)  However, after 18 years of oppression, the Israelites cried out to God to save them, got rid of their idols and repented. Judges 10:16 says, "And (God) could bear Israel’s misery no longer."

Eventually, the Ammonites were engaged in a war against Israel. The elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander.

Initially he asked them why they were coming to him after they he had been exiled.  But because they insisted, and offered him full rulership of Gilead, he accepted the challenge (11:8).  God gave their enemies over to Jephthah, and he won the war. "Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave them into his hands." (11:32)

Have you ever felt like you were the unlucky one, like God couldn't use you due to things that have happened in your life?  Know that He is preparing a way for you - in spite of your circumstances - to turn rejection into purpose, hardship into hope, and disgrace into His glory.