Over the last few days I keep thinking of one more tidbit from our conversation with John and Mary Beaumont in Christchurch, New Zealand. This has really been an encouragement to me as I’m freshly evaluating some of the things I feel like God is doing in my own life right now.
John said that once you’ve said ‘Yes’ to Jesus, it needs to count for the whole of our lives. We need not ever wrestle again with whether or not we’ll do what he wants. Once that is decided the only question that remains in everything we consider is simply this, "Is this what he wants?" And if he does, why would we want anything else?
I clutter my journey in Christ with way too many questions. Does this make sense to me? What would be the ramifcations? What will other people think? Does it make financial sense? What principle should guide me here? Answering all of those questions can be cumbersome indeed and many of them will lead me opposite of the way he would want.
We are loved by a Father whose ways are so much higher than ours and whose thoughts go way beyond anything we could ask or ever imagine. Why would we ever think that we could reason out his ways? All we’re really doing is reasoning out an excuse to do what we think is best.
Now when I find myself caught up in an internal argument, I’m pretty certain that’s because one of Jesus’ thoughts is rolling around in there. How do I know? Because I rarely argue with me. I like my thoughts. It’s his thoughts that are so different from the way I would naturally think.
I am finding great rest in recent days simply asking, "Is this what you’re saying?" Or, "Is this what you want?" If I am certain of that, then the other questions that offer such a wearying wrestling match become moot.
I don’t know about you, but I find one question much easier to deal with than an entire checklist of them!
[As an aside, I’ve just added an article of John’ Beaumont’s that comes from a previous book of his that is now out of print. It is entitled the Jetty and the Raft.]
Hi Wayne,
I know you are in OH so you may not read this right away. (I wish we could be there or have you here since you are so close.) This article really ministered to me as Tom and I are feeling stirred by the Lord to make some changes in our life. We have a very strong desire to move back to FL (home for me) and buy a coffee house. We keep saying "Lord, is this really you." It seems so impossible—-usually a good indication that it is the Lord. This article has really helped us to stop asking questions about all of the details and instead to keep looking to him for direction, provision and timing. Thanks so much for sharing and for being such an encouragement to the Body of Christ.
Paula Brickhouse
I know I am struggling with some very practical issues of finances and our home right now. As my wife and I talked about what to do, we found ourselves tempted to say, God will make a way for what He wants, but there is also this and that to consider. We finally realized that, no, what God wants is it…period…there’s no other issue. Our housing market is not the issue, our finances are not the issue. God can accomplish what He wills, and our focus should be on obeying and trusting. (I say that like it’s easy for me, but my tendency is still to doubt and worry –help, Lord!)
Hi Wayne,
I know you are in OH so you may not read this right away. (I wish we could be there or have you here since you are so close.) This article really ministered to me as Tom and I are feeling stirred by the Lord to make some changes in our life. We have a very strong desire to move back to FL (home for me) and buy a coffee house. We keep saying "Lord, is this really you." It seems so impossible—-usually a good indication that it is the Lord. This article has really helped us to stop asking questions about all of the details and instead to keep looking to him for direction, provision and timing. Thanks so much for sharing and for being such an encouragement to the Body of Christ.
Paula Brickhouse
I know I am struggling with some very practical issues of finances and our home right now. As my wife and I talked about what to do, we found ourselves tempted to say, God will make a way for what He wants, but there is also this and that to consider. We finally realized that, no, what God wants is it…period…there’s no other issue. Our housing market is not the issue, our finances are not the issue. God can accomplish what He wills, and our focus should be on obeying and trusting. (I say that like it’s easy for me, but my tendency is still to doubt and worry –help, Lord!)