I do this same silly thing
1 Samuel 4:3
When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord ’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”
________________
Notice that when defeat came into their lives they immediately thought of the Lord. What is wrong? Obviously something is not right between us and Him. What could it be? What do we need to do to get it right? They asked each other but never actually asked the Lord.
I tend to do the same thing when things aren't going right. I ask all these questions but often I fail to simply ask Him. Instead, I figure a plan to get things right with God. "OK, it must be because I didn't do this. Maybe if I pray more regularly, or read the Bible daily or read more passages or, ooops, I forgot to pay my tithe this week.".
I come up with all these great plans to get back in God's "good graces". "Let's take the ark into battle with us. Surely God won't let us be defeated if we have the ark with us. He wouldn't let the enemy steal His box. This plan can't fail." But as silly as it may seem, sometimes I, like them, don't even think to simply ask God what His thoughts are on the issue.
Their "foolproof" plan didn't work. In fact, they ended up in a worse mess than they had before. Sound familiar?
Lord, teach me to look to You, not my great ideas no matter how "fool-proof" they may seem. Teach me to not just think about You but to actually communicate with You, walk and talk with You daily. Help me learn to not trust in my own understanding but to seek You in everything.
__________________
Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.
READ MORE AT: www.rickmalm.com
Created 2 months ago
