because I'm a pusher...
We've all been around her before. The girl that is going to have it her way or no way. And if her way is not the way, there will be a price to pay. A hefty one. So you don't want to deal with it. You bow out, hand it over, whatever it is she wants, and you comply. Because complying is easier than conflicting. And at the end of the day, you'd prefer to take the path of least resistance because you simply don't have the energy to put up a fight.
I'm that pusher. I've been guilty of pushing my agenda, my plans, and not just on anyone, but on the Lord. I've done quite the job of mapping my life out and plowing forward with my ill-advised plans all the while asking the Lord to bless them. My prayers have often gone something like this, "Lord, this is what I would like to do, so I'm going to go ahead and do it. I hope you're okay with that. I've thought it out so don't worry. I'll take care of everything. I would, however, like for you to go ahead and bless my plans since I'm informing you of what's to come." So much for the whole "thy will be done part" that Jesus modeled for us. I just assumed if I wanted it, God would want it for me, too. But that's what happens when we assume rather than ask.
I'll never forget the feeling of resistance. I was praying and I was asking and yet the more I prayed and the more I asked, the more unsettled I felt. I kept expecting things to get better, not worse. I expected more of God's peace, not less. And yet my diligent prayers seemed to be working against themselves. I couldn't understand why God wasn't blessing what seemed to be a good thing. I later realized that even thought it might have seemed like a good thing, it wasn't God's thing. There's a difference between the two.
So often we look at the good things, at least the things we deem as good, and we push them. We say, "God, this is something I really want and you know that. You've given me this desire, this ability, this opportunity, and so I want it to go this way." And regardless of what the Lord wants, we begin making things happen. We begin formulating plans and setting them in motion, all the while forgetting that God actually has a plan for us and it very well may not match up to the one we've created for ourselves. But we don't ask because He may tell us something else. We don't seek because we may not like what we find. And we certainly don't bother to open up the door because we're not certain that what we want is on the other side.
Ask and it shall be given to you...
Maybe not exactly as you imagined. Maybe not even what you imagined. Yet when we ask God, when we allow Him the opportunity to provide, He gives us more than we could ever deserve or hope for.
Seek and you will find...
Probably things you would never expect. Probably things even better than you had planned for yourself. Things that bring peace and satisfaction. Things that bring glory to God. Things that please Him, and things that bless you. When we seek God, when we follow his ways, we are fulfilled.
Knock and the door will be opened to you...
The right door at the right time. And if you stand there knocking and no door is opening, don't give up. Don't stop asking, and don't stop seeking. When it's right, when God's ready, when it's His will and He's prepared you to walk through it, the door will be opened to you. Not a moment too soon, and not a moment too late.
And so I've stopped pushing, and I've started asking. Asking the Lord's will to be done. Seeking Him so that I'll know the difference between His will and mine. And knocking so that when He's ready, that door will open. Because "you can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." (Proverbs 19:21)
I'm that pusher. I've been guilty of pushing my agenda, my plans, and not just on anyone, but on the Lord. I've done quite the job of mapping my life out and plowing forward with my ill-advised plans all the while asking the Lord to bless them. My prayers have often gone something like this, "Lord, this is what I would like to do, so I'm going to go ahead and do it. I hope you're okay with that. I've thought it out so don't worry. I'll take care of everything. I would, however, like for you to go ahead and bless my plans since I'm informing you of what's to come." So much for the whole "thy will be done part" that Jesus modeled for us. I just assumed if I wanted it, God would want it for me, too. But that's what happens when we assume rather than ask.
I'll never forget the feeling of resistance. I was praying and I was asking and yet the more I prayed and the more I asked, the more unsettled I felt. I kept expecting things to get better, not worse. I expected more of God's peace, not less. And yet my diligent prayers seemed to be working against themselves. I couldn't understand why God wasn't blessing what seemed to be a good thing. I later realized that even thought it might have seemed like a good thing, it wasn't God's thing. There's a difference between the two.
So often we look at the good things, at least the things we deem as good, and we push them. We say, "God, this is something I really want and you know that. You've given me this desire, this ability, this opportunity, and so I want it to go this way." And regardless of what the Lord wants, we begin making things happen. We begin formulating plans and setting them in motion, all the while forgetting that God actually has a plan for us and it very well may not match up to the one we've created for ourselves. But we don't ask because He may tell us something else. We don't seek because we may not like what we find. And we certainly don't bother to open up the door because we're not certain that what we want is on the other side.
Ask and it shall be given to you...
Maybe not exactly as you imagined. Maybe not even what you imagined. Yet when we ask God, when we allow Him the opportunity to provide, He gives us more than we could ever deserve or hope for.
Seek and you will find...
Probably things you would never expect. Probably things even better than you had planned for yourself. Things that bring peace and satisfaction. Things that bring glory to God. Things that please Him, and things that bless you. When we seek God, when we follow his ways, we are fulfilled.
Knock and the door will be opened to you...
The right door at the right time. And if you stand there knocking and no door is opening, don't give up. Don't stop asking, and don't stop seeking. When it's right, when God's ready, when it's His will and He's prepared you to walk through it, the door will be opened to you. Not a moment too soon, and not a moment too late.
And so I've stopped pushing, and I've started asking. Asking the Lord's will to be done. Seeking Him so that I'll know the difference between His will and mine. And knocking so that when He's ready, that door will open. Because "you can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail." (Proverbs 19:21)
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