Let me tell you, folks, I have had a rough couple of weeks. I don’t know if I have ever said that I wanted to quit something more often than I have this past week, and I’m not sure if a week has ever gone more slowly. I keep thinking things like, “Ok, so since it’s Thursday, I need to get home and…. no, wait. It’s still Monday…”
I’m just not in a place in my life that thrills my soul right now. But the thing is, I KNOW this is where God has called me to be. There is no doubt in my mind that every time I have asked God if there was maybe somewhere else He might want be to be or some other thing He might want me to be doing (you know, just keeping that quitting option on the table in case God wants to direct me that way), He has told me to stay here.
Have you ever been there? Have you ever been in that place where technically you are walking the path God wants you to walk, but you make sure to remind Him how much you don’t want to be there?
Yeah… we need to work on that.
After all, there are scores of verses reminding us of what our attitudes should be…
- “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” -Colossians 3:23-24
- “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…” -Philippians 2:14-15
And there are verses that say that God, the Designer and Definition of Goodness, has a plan uniquely designed for us…
- “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” -Psalm 139:16
Plus the ones that tell us of His wisdom that is past understanding… (AKA A whole lot better than our wisdom)
- “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.” -Isaiah 40:28
Added together, these verses make my little complaints and my many declarations that I really don’t need to suffer through this season, look embarrassingly shallow.
Then, on top of all of that, I am reminded that no one has more thoroughly suffered through something than Jesus did, yet He did it with joy. God Himself came to Earth, “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men,” (Philippians 2:7) and then He lived that life all the way to the Cross. We read in Luke 22:42 that Jesus dreaded the pain and suffering of the Cross, that He even asked if there was another way, but He modeled for us what perfect, humble submission looks like. He said, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.”
That is a truly submissive heart. It can’t be faked by right actions, but must go right down to our core. Whether we are making big life choices, staying where God puts us, or even following God’s commands to speak kindly, love the tough-to-love, or work hard, God wants all of us, not just our hands and feet. Following God wherever He leads, for the big picture and the passing details, that is an obedient heart.
What about you? Are you struggling with your attitude even while you are obeying? Are you still working to cultivate a submissive heart? What has been helping YOU?
I would love to hear some more encouragement or to pray with you over your struggles!
Linking up on A Little R&R, Faith Filled Friday, and Grace & Truth!
May the Lord bless you little girl. Speaking as a grandmother I’m thinking you may need some rest….
Thank you! I so appreciate your care and concern : ) God is really using this as a time to work in me and especially on that rotten attitude of mine, and I can tell that He will be keeping His promise to use this all for good in my life. He has already begun to do that, and I praise Him for it! It certainly brought to my attention the need for an obedience that goes past surface actions!
Not sure how I stumbled upon your site some time ago. Definitely a God thing. I think it was during studying for SS. But anyway, I’ve been enjoying your writings. This one cut me to the heart and made me realize an attitude in my own heart that I need to ask God for forgiveness and need to keep pressing on. I’ve been working at a camp and retreat ministry for over 32 years and changes in policies over the past year or so have been difficult to accept. Even to the point that I’ve prayed that God would lead me elsewhere. But He hasn’t so I find myself complaining and finding it difficult to serve cheerfully. Colossians 3 “as to the Lord and not to men” and Philippians 2 hit me in a new way. I still believe in our overall ministry and will pray that I can continue to serve in a way that is pleasing to Him. I’ve said a prayer for you as well. Thanks for your honesty and wording things in a way that hit home. Just another note… I like your little quotes that you can click to tweet but but I’ve settled on only using facebook and have wished at times that I could click to paste the quotes on facebook.
You have no idea how much your comment touched my heart! I love hearing instances in which God has used His Word, shared in this little space, to work in someone. You are a real answer to prayer.
And I will definitely be praying for you and for your ministry! I know that is such a hard place to be in, but isn’t it so good that we can trust that God will use work done for His glory? I pray that He will use you and your faithfulness!
As for the Facebook quotes, we should look into that! I haven’t seen a way to share quotes like that on Facebook, but I will definitely see if I can find one…
A few years ago I was in a similar situation and struggling with what God clearly revealed was the right path for me. In fact, if it were not for my wife, I probably would have quit. I’m hoping that you will persevere in the face of these difficulties.
I’m also working on the joy part. Followers of Christ should be the most joyful people on the planet even when we have to submit, because we are submitting to the one who knows best and loves us completely.
Thank you for sharing your heart and helping us adjust ours.
I love your reminder that we should be the most joyful people on the planet BECAUSE we get to submit! It’s such a turned around philosophy compared to our natural inclinations, but that is the very heart of serving God, isn’t it? We get to follow where our holy and sovereign God leads us! That’s actually really exciting when we think of it that way!
Thanks also for sharing your own story about God leading you to stay in what felt like difficult circumstances. It’s an encouragement to see the end of a story like that, seeing that God did help you persevere : )
I am struggling in obedience with prayer time and reading God’s word. I also do not fast. I do pray, and I do read God’s word, but I don’t do it daily. Would this please God? Yes! Would it increase my wisdom of His word as well as my Spiritual sensitivity to His voice? Yes! Would fasting help me deny my flesh and fill myself with His presence and guidance? Yes! Much like Paul, I find myself hating what I don’t do that I know I should, and enjoying what I shouldn’t be doing, but still do (in my case it would be too much TV/internet). WHY won’t I submit? I have even asked God MANY times in my prayer time “What is my problem, Lord?!!” What is it in my flesh that I’m (so far) unable to conquer so that I can bring about my desire to read and pray daily? I know there is nothing more important than the 3 things I mentioned, and the TV/internet most certainly are not. I have started praying for God to reveal to me what is in my flesh that (1) is keeping me from my goals and (2) how to go about sacrificing my flesh so that I will have a TRUE passion for these things. I have asked Him to prune the things in my flesh that do not please Him, with focus on these 3 areas. I am praying for fearful reverence and obedience to my Lord, and praying for a TRUE passion for reading His word, fasting, and praying. Do I think I’ll eventually win this battle? Absolutely because He is faithful and He gives me the desires of my heart when I seek Him first. I guess it’s this “in the meantime” that is trying to discourage me. Thank you for your article on obedience. I needed this! Especially the verses you shared <3