Challenged to Depend

I will readily admit that I am poor in directions; I am directionally challenged.  I can remember the street address of a house easily, but I can’t find my way to it.  To add to that, I don’t like the feeling of being controlled.  So, I have fought the idea of getting any gps navigation system where some voice tells me when to turn and where to go.  But, it is free with my new phone.  So, I thought I would try it out – and you know what?  I am living in the blessings of directional freedom.  Now, admittedly, my navigator is not 100% accurate like God is. But I trust it anyway.  I’ve come to realize that given the odds, I have a better change getting to my destination using the navigator than I do without it. The pressure to find my way has been just about eliminated and I am so much more relaxed.  This thing that tells me what to do has not brought bondage into my life, it’s brought freedom.  I have the right or power to ignore it if I want to, but that’s when I get in trouble.  There is true freedom and liberty in obeying its commands.  I type in my goal and then I do what it says.  If I’m told to turn, I turn.  If I’m told to take a street that doesn’t make sense to me, I do it anyway.

And in just a few weeks, it has shown me ways to get to places that are different than the ways I have always gone – and theyr’e better.  So, when it says to take a way that isn’t the way I have gone before, I do it, and I find its way is better.  I’ve always taken Mission Gorge to go to Kaiser’s Zion Hospital.  Maybe you have too – and you have stopped at red light after red light after red light.  My navigator told me to take Waring Road – it’s better and faster!  What do I do now?  Do I try to figure it out myself and then when I get lost turn on the navigator?  No.  I’ve learned to admit the navigator knows best.  So, I seek it first.

That’s recognizing that I am poor in directions.  Poor in spirit is much the same.  Only the One we depend on has absolutely precision directions.  Remember the rich young ruler who wanted eternal life, but not at the expense of giving up his riches?  Jesus spoke of how hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Well, for those of you who seem to be able to make it through life fairly well, you are challenged in much the same way.  You have understanding that is pretty good. So like the rich young ruler, you lean on what you have, rather than God.

You see, as women, we sometimes don’t understand why guys won’t admit that they don’t know where they are going, and certainly won’t admit that there might be a better way.  But, we reveal our poverty of spirit every morning when we don’t start out seeking the Lord in prayer.  That reveals that we think we can handle the course of the day in our own strength using our own personal resources of wisdom and understanding and common sense.  Ever think about that phrase, “common sense”?  It’s too often just that – common – what anybody would do, but not necessarily what God would do.  Do you really want to settle for common sense when you could have the wisdom of the Creator?  The poor in spirit get that.

..I can’t do anything              I can do all things through Christ                                Philippians 4:13

..I am weak                            His strength is made perfect in my weakness         2 Corinthians 12:9

..I lack wisdom                       He gives wisdom liberally to me when I ask In faith             James 1:5
We can’t lay hold of His enabling, His strength or His wisdom without first admitting our need for them.  What a glorious privilege only the poor in spirit have. 

Please be encouraged to share your comments.

Love in Jesus,

cathy