I've had a fantastic start to the year, I must say. Nothing extraordinary has happened per se but I just feel better in myself. Not that when the clock struck midnight to mark the 1st minute of the year I suddenly became positive, not at all. It's just that since then, I haven't had anything to worry about. Or what I would normally worry about I've taken in my stride so far (or tried to, anyway).
In all honesty, this new lease of life has been coming. I've endeavoured to make more and more time for God and I'm learning more about His character each day. He's actually a hilarious character. To say that He's unorthodox would be an understatement. He continually tramples on the perceptions I have on the way He works. He doesn't have to be systematic- He's God. He's continally changing the way I think and I'm steadily realising the need for flexibility in that area.
Sometimes I have a motif of thinking that I don't want anyone to reshape or resize. Let's call this motif a square. The square is safe, all its sides are equal, it tesselates whether you turn it on its side or on its head. I am in control... This is where the problem lies. The previous sentence IS a lie. I begin to feel I'm in control because I have somehow made God fit into this square, I almost hold God to ransom by trying to force certain issues and then when they fall flat I look to the sky.
Whose fault is it? Isn't God bigger than my square of thoughts? The truth is He's the only one in a position to control my life, in the first place:
"In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." Proverbs 16:9
Jeremiah was also aware of this principle and reminds us in Jeremiah 10:23 ~ "LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps."
I tried to fight against certain career paths, courses, etc only to be led right back to them. Often times what we think is best is far from it. And sometimes we know what's best but because of the weight of expectation try to reason against reason. The old cliche "God works in mysterious ways" is so true.
God does not follow motifs. He is not lazy. He doesn't trace or copy and paste. He uses different methods. He made each of us indivually and therefore tailors you-specific-plans. Expand your mind. Enlarge your thinking.
If you find yourself boxed in at the moment, hemmed in on all sides, it may be because you've enslaved yourself in a square pattern of thought. If you feel that's you, open up the square and allow God into your situations, don't minimise His capabilities and stop squeezing Him out. Talk to God and allow him to renew your mind and guide you- that's what He does! Moving from A to G and then back to E may seem illogical to you but God may just be concerned with you completing the alphabet. What worked for someone else may not work for you, and what worked for you in the past may not work for you now. So stop comparing and start listening and learning.
