Here at Preparing the Bride, I’m telling GOD’S STORY. Presumptuous?! Not when simply looking at scripture, because scripture is the unfolding of God’s story to us who read it.
How do we prepare as the Bride of Christ? We learn GOD’s Story. Piece by piece, and peace by peace, we learn to walk as He has walked.
GOD’S STORY Part 12 Decision-making
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men…” (Matthew 4:19)
As followers of Jesus, how is it possible for us to execute our own decision-making?
Following is not easy, is it? But we must discipline ourselves, or make the choice, or surrender… even when making our own decisions. However we might choose to manage it, following Jesus is great but it is not always easy.
Often we can implement the LORD’s will. We hear from Him; then we use our talents, our time, our resources, to implement what the LORD has positioned us to do. But what about when He stretches us, asks us to go beyond our comfort zone to do something which will make a difference in this world but which pushes our envelope beyond our experience? The LORD led me in this way recently, and here’s where I went wrong…
From Follow to Muddle
Over the past week or two the LORD has been leading me in a new direction. And when it came to taking His lead, I got in quite a muddle.
I want to share GOD’s Story — GOD’s perspective as near as I have worked it out so far, on decision-making. He prompted me to take some risks, to go out of my comfort zone, and I was willing. That was my choice. I did research and considered the information. I prayed and sought His direction. All of a sudden: BOOM!
I was eager to follow… but then…
Here’s the pattern I followed with the very best of intention
Step 1: I followed …. I received a prompt and whole-heartedly aimed to follow
Step 2: I anticipated next steps
Step 3: I reasoned —
Step 4: I recognised I was in a muddle.
How did that happen? I anticipated rather than taking GOD’s lead to reason, to plan, to strategise and to implement.
What to do to prevent a repeat?
In the stillness, I must wait, rest, trust, wait some more… until I hear clearly the direction — advice — to take.
“He who waits upon the LORD shall renew his strength…” (Isaiah 40:31)
Following the LORD’s lead does not mean we don’t think, use our intellect and common sense. Rather, it means we allow GOD to influence our thinking, intellect and common sense. We allow the wisdom of the Holy Spirit to lead as we wait for Him to direct our steps.
Regret …. but lessons learned
I wish I’d not got ahead of GOD. But in recognising it I realise I’ve learned to be on the alert for my own anticipation. Enthusiasm is a wonderful characteristic, but we do need to curb our flesh, and surrender ourselves to Holy Spirit’s prompting if we are going to follow, from beginning to end, the fullness of GOD’s plan.
Decision-making begins at the very beginning of any move we make. When we give our hopes and aspirations, our goals and intents of our hearts to the LORD, when we trust He’s heard and rest in Him, He will direct our steps toward the destination. We hope, we trust, we hear, we share and then we follow…. allowing Him to unfold the direction of our steps to achieve our heart’s desire and that which He has for us.
Every blessing for the week ahead…