Friday, June 3, 2011

Crossroad

What do you do when you feel like you are at a crossroad?

Life is full of adventures and especially life with God is never predictable. The fact of the matter is that when God has the wheel and driving our life, we go where he wants and not necessarily where we want to go. The biggest enemy in the process is SELF. That is why Jesus told these words to his followers in Luke 9:23; "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself, and take up His cross DAILY and follow me.".

I am learning in my life that hearing God's voice and knowing his will is never the end point. However, obeying his instructions and doing them is what the Lord expects of us. Obedience is doing the will of God with or without the flesh's consent. Most of the time, SELF says NO and the SPIRIT says YES. How do we win the battle?

Paul in 1 Cor 9:27 talks about buffeting his body; "I beat/buffet my body and make it my slave/servant".  Self denial comes in process and the Holy Spirit plays a huge role in it. God pours his grace upon his people to teach them how to deny self. If we pay attention closely, every day is an opportunity to buffet our body and continue living under God's will. Painful? YES!

So, are you at a crossroad? Here is my take: Pray and continue praying until you know His will. By the way, prayer is where self dies most. When we pray and ask God to show us His will, that by itself is an act of surrender and self denial. Quiet your soul and mind. Waiting in prayer and worship is instrumental in quieting the many voices that try to catch our attention. Through waiting, his quiet voice becomes prominent and takes over our heart. Now that we know His will, Obedience is the next step. Following Christ is never promised to be an easy thing. Sometimes we have to make tough choices but He is faithful!

“If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.” Job 36:11