“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” –Isaiah 55:7
Why must we forsake our own way, and our own thoughts? Why cannot God simply bend to suit my lifestyle? Can I not just go to heaven on 90% my terms, and 10% his?
Do we asking these questions often? With our lips, most likely……..not; but with our LIVES, perhaps that is a different story. The simple truth is this: God has a better plan for your life than you do. “Well duh….I know that.” Do we? Do we really? Do we really believe that God has a better plan for our lives than we do? If so, then we will have NO problem forsaking all of our “own way”. God says don’t take that job…then we won’t; if he says don’t date that girl….we won’t; if he says pickup and move….then we will. His will is our will, his way……is our way; zero obstruction. Is not that what Christ came for? (See John 17) Our eternal Father in heaven wants for us, far more than we can fathom for ourselves.
Salmon was the wisest and richest man to ever live. He had the mental capacity to achieve more than any man before or after; AND the money to achieve it. There was nothing beyond his reach; and by his own testimony he went out and got whatever it was he wanted to get (see Ecclesiastes 2: 1-11). Once he had obtained all he could possible dream to obtain his testimony was this:
“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.”
The wisest man with the most money the best he could come up with was: vanity, vexation, and no profit. How much less the average individual; men and women across this land are striving to gain, and earn so that they can have peace and security. What God wants for us is far more; he desires a personal relationship with his creation. He desires that we be holy; that we identify with his holiness. How? By the power of the Holy Ghost; who is sent in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is he who cleanses us from all nature to disobey, and purifies to himself a “peculiar people”, “not have spot or wrinkle”. There is nothing greater in this world then having fellowship with the God himself. Mankind uses all his capacity to strive, gain, and get, thereby obtaining peace and security right? Are not the wealthiest lifestyles, the lifestyles that the masses desire? Why do you think magazines like: Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Entertainment Weekly, exist? I ask myself as I ask all; if the best we can dream for ourselves is the gratification of the flesh, how can any man say that his plan for his own life is better than God’s? God’s plan for us is to bring into fellowship with God, fellowship with He whom created all things!
God help us to gladly forsake our way, our thoughts, our ambitions, our wishes, and WHOLLY lean on Jesus, on the guiding of His eternal Spirit. Truly, God’s plan for our lives is so much greater than our own…….so why not let him have it?
