There are two things I relate to in that discussion. Recently I've realized that I keep praying for God to take control of my life, to lead me in His path, but all the while I'm pleading with Him to let my chosen path be His path. And that's not surrender. That's called control.
The other thing in that discussion on control that really resounded with me is when God says, "you're either moving toward me, or away from me." Sometimes, I get tired of God chiseling. Sometimes, I feel like I can't take any more refining at the moment, and I want to take a break. I want to just stay right here, rest awhile, and then God can start refining me again when I've regained my strength. But there is no staying right here, because to stay right here is to be moving away from God. And I don't need to regain my strength because God has promised to be my strength. In all His refining, when I feel like I can't stand any longer, when I feel like I can't take any more of the flame of God's holiness burning away the dross, He reminds me that if I would rely on Him, I wouldn't have to stand for myself; He will be my sustaining power as He chisels away everything that keeps me from reflecting the image of God.
"Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another." Isaiah 48:10, 11 (ESV)
5 comments:
Thank you for sharing this, Kristin!
love the Skit Guys and this skit.
"Control vs. Trust" has been one of my favorite topics lately.
I've found prayer to be a very odd experience when it comes to control, because God invites us to present our requests, our desires before Him, so it seems like when we ask Him for what we want that we're trying to take control. Yet that's what we're supposed to do.
I think trust comes into play when He says no to one of our plans or desires. This is why surrender is so powerful - because we're letting go of something we want. In essence, we're saying, "I trust You and believe that what You want for me is better for me than what I want for myself."
Thanks for sharing, and inspiring me to not be such a lazy blogger. :-)
Jason, I agree. I think it's good to bring our wants to God, and I think He encourages us to do so. But when God has said no, and we continue to plead with Him to make our ways His ways, that is when we've overstepped our bounds. Which, I guess is just repeating what you said about trust. Thanks for sharing your thoughts as well :)
Great post! Thanks for sharing.
thanks for sharing this
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