Foundation scripture:"... some of you who seem to think my deeds and words are merely those of an ordinary man."
2 Corinthians 10:2 (TLB)
In our opening scripture, we find that Paul was a man driven, driven by the plans of God. He spend his time in the presence of the Almight, seeking His face, to get the plan for what he was to do! He knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was called, and that he was in-sync with then plan of God!
Recently, I have been wrestling with some issues concerning my calling. You see, I want that for my life! I want to be totally and completely assured that I am on-track with the plan of God for my life. And lately, I find that I have allowed myself to get away from that plan. Notice I said, "I have allowed". It's always "us". And usually when this happens, I find that I have again taken off in a direction I thought we were going (me and God), and I got ahead of Him! I missed the turn, and then I find myself running a one-man show! I'm all alone. It's not God's doing, but rather mine.
We all do this, at some time or another in our life, and then we find that we have reached a point where we feel like we're not being effective, like we're not "actively" doing what we are called to do. When this happens it is usually because the Holy Spirit is beginning to stir our hearts. We begin to feel an unrest, an unsettling. That is because we are not exactly "in" the will of God's plan for our lives. Somewhere, somehow, we have stepped out of the plan. We've gotten "off-track" from the original marching orders. The Holy Spirit is trying to move us back, and to line us up with what God is wanting to do in our lives.
When this happens it is time to set aside some time with God and seek His counsel. You must quiet your mind, and your heart. It is important that you do this. God cannot deal with a 'busy mind'. Your mind can be constantly bombarded with thoughts and plans that, for whatever reason, you are entertaining. These may, or may not, be a diversion from God's actual plan for your life. You must set "all" of these aside, and listen ... listen for that quiet voice that speaks within.
When you are in-tune with God's plan for your life, there is a peace ... a peace that brings about contentment, completeness, and assurance ... that you are on-track. When you are "off" of God's plan, there is questioning, concerns, fears, and such that crop up from everywhere. This is a good way to discern the plan of God. If you are on-track with God, then you will have a calmness about you. It will just "feel" right. This is not to say that you should base your decisions on 'feelings', but rather to explain that your heart will "bear witness" when you are in-tune with the movings and the plans of the Holy Spirit.
You have never known a silence like the one you will know when you are off-base with God. I'm sure you've been there. You're just rocking along, working, doing family things, etc. and your mind is so busy it just never noticed. All-of-a-sudden, you notice one day that things just don't seem right between you and God. That is because you've gotten off-track. It happened a while back, but your mind was so busy you didn't even notice.
Compare this to a walk, with you and a friend. The two of you are just walking along, visiting. You seem to be doing all the talking, so the friend is just listening. At one point, after awhile, you turn to say something more intense, and you want to observe their reaction. You look and your friend is nowhere to be found! Now they were leading the way. You were supposed to be following "them"! When did they leave? What happened to them? You got so busy talking that they turned and you didn't notice.
It is much the same way with walking with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is patient, and caring, but that same Holy Spirit is focused, and single-minded. There is a plan to follow. It is the design of the Holy Spirit Himself. HE made the plan! And HE knows what needs to be done, where you need to go, and how you are going to get to where you need to be! It's the best deal you could ask for, your steps are already ordered and set out by the Master Planner. But if you dont' follow them, you are going to find yourself off and alone, in a territory and order of things that you are not familiar. You will have missed "the plan" and gone your own way.
For today, and every day for that matter, set aside some time in the morning. DO NOT let your day be started by a mad dash for the shower, a quick cup of coffee, and a rushed drive in traffic to work! Get up earlier! Wake your lazy self up!! Get up, and have that cup of coffee as you sit quietly in your easy chair, or on your couch, and start the day in prayer. See the face of HIM Who "knows" what is in store for you today! Get "the plan" for the day!
You will find that when everyone else is knocked about and disturbed by what things "seem to be", you are solid, stable, and prepared for the day! It works, I'm telling you! Make it a part of your daily routine. Like Mike Murdock always says, "The secret to your success is hidden in something that you do, daily!" Go on, make it happen!
Make me proud!
Scripture references
Proverbs 16:1-3; 9; 19:21 (AMP) and 2 Corinthians 10:2 (TLB)
Written by Richard A. Allcorn
© Copyright 2009 - All rights reserved.
For additional information, please consult the following websites:
Ministry websites - http://www.richallcorn.org and http://www.sotmi.org
Additional posted writings can be found here - http://www.richallcorn.com/writer
